Susilo orders governors to 'stay put'

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has told governors from across the country on Monday to avoid unnecessary overseas travel and trips to the capital and instead stay in their provinces and concentrate on regional issues.

In a closed-door briefing at the President's office which lasted two hours, Susilo asked the governors to reduce their trips, especially those abroad, and to build a relationship with the people in their regions.

"All regional heads should spend most of their time in their areas of jurisdiction and should avoid hanging around in Jakarta too much," Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf said after the briefing.

"They were also asked to limit unnecessary trips, especially out of the country, and to be thrifty when using their regional budgets."

Attending the briefing were all 33 governors in the country. The governors, according to Law No. 32/2004 on regional administrations, serve as the central government's provincial representatives.

Susilo urged the governors to try to live up to people's expectations and regularly communicate with their constituents, Ma'ruf said.

"Be creative in dealing with people's aspirations and problems in your regions through direct contact with the people," Susilo was quoted by Ma'ruf as saying.

Susilo has used his first few days in office to share his vision for his term with state officials and the bureaucracy.

Last week, he briefed his Cabinet and presidential palace staff on the ground rules of his administration.

As he did with the Cabinet, Susilo warned the governors they would face dismissal if they were found guilty of corruption offenses.

"The President asked the governors to set an example as clean officials and to fight graft," Ma'ruf said

However, the Ma'ruf said any dismissals would follow proper procedures and would take place only after there was a binding verdict from the Supreme Court.

Palace officials said there were prolonged discussions about the implementation of the revised regional autonomy and fiscal balance laws, issued recently by the government.

The governors also asked Susilo to issue a presidential decree or government regulation enacting the new regional laws.

Susilo also ordered governors, who are implicated in graft or other criminal cases, to communicate with the public.

If they obey Susilo's order, the public could soon expect statements from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Governor Abdullah Puteh, who is currently under investigation by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Gorontalo Governor Fadel Muhammad, who was declared bankrupt last year, and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, who has been declared a suspect in the 1996 attack on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters.

Sutiyoso, who also chairs the Indonesia's Provincial Administration Association (APPSI), said Susilo agreed to hold regular consultations every 45 days with the governors.

"The meeting will be divided into regions -- Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java and so on," Sutiyoso said.