Susilo and DPD discuss regional issues
Rendi A. Witular and Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had his first consultative meeting with the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) on Monday to discuss social and economic development in the country's 32 provinces.
The meeting, which took place five months after Susilo was elected, discussed 10 items including the fuel price hikes, anti- corruption drives and the discrepancies in economic development across the regions.
"The meeting shows the government's seriousness in solving problems in the regions," DPD speaker Ginandjar Kartasasmita said after the meeting.
Ginandjar said he had asked Susilo to help him work to ensure mining companies complied with environmental regulations and helped empower locals living surrounding the mining sites.
"We don't want mining companies to abandon the environment once they end there operations here. This should be prevented to avoid job losses and increased poverty once the company leaves," he said.
Susilo said the government would follow up five of the 10 discussed issues with the related ministries.
"The government will respond to the problems raised by DPD members during the meeting. We will seek the best settlement for them," he said.
Susilo said the five issues included the upcoming election of governors and regents in conflict areas. It would be important to select capable and responsible leaders to end the conflicts, he said.
The government and DPD would also discuss further the distribution of the low-income assistance funds allocated from the reduced fuel subsidies.
"The government has also prepared the time line to gradually meet the 20 percent (of national budget money targeted) for education funding. We expect that by 2009 the government can fully meet that requirement," Susilo said.
He said the government and DPD would meet again to further discuss the reconstruction of Aceh.
The government is preparing a blueprint for reconstructing Aceh based on input from Acehnese administrators and local leaders.
Ten issues raised in the meeting:
1. Regional aspiration on autonomy and the establishment of new regents and provinces, along with the election of regional administrations.
2. Allocation of funds from state and regional budgets for education, which should be at least 20 percent of the total budget as stipulated in the State Budget Law and Education Law.
3. Efforts to rehabilitate and reconstruct tsunami-stricken Aceh.
4. Fuel subsidy reductions and the allocation of low-income assistance funds.
5. Civil servant recruitment in the regions.
6. Regional involvement in the government's many large infrastructure projects.
7. Anti-corruption drives in the regions.
8. Illegal fishing and illegal logging.
9. Compliance of mining companies for the environment and nearby communities.
10. Development discrepancies between cities and regions.