Unitary state is final, home affairs minister says
Unitary state is final, home affairs minister says
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja
stifled any suggestion of Indonesia abandoning its unitary state,
saying that ideas for adopting federalism should be limited to a
mere subject of discussion.
"A unitary state is final. Other alternatives such as a
federal state could be discussed as a discourse," Surjadi said
during a hearing here on Tuesday with the House of
Representatives' Commission II for home affairs.
He said there was a long, valid historical reason why
Indonesia became a unitary state. He argued that the significance
of the historical background meant the unitary concept should be
defended.
Surjadi also expressed confidence that a majority of people
preferred the unitary state system.
"A federal state is not the only aspiration, there are other
aspirations (for other forms of state) and many people still
support the unitary state." He said any change would have to be
endorsed by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
The retired lieutenant general conceded that regions may be
looking for alternative forms of government due to past
injustices.
He underlined that the application of Law No. 22/1999 on
regional autonomy and Law No. 25/1999 on fiscal balance between
the central government and regional administrations was needed to
respond to growing dissatisfaction.
Commission chairman Amin Aryoso expressed his support for the
maintenance of a unitary republic, saying that a federal state
violated the tenets of the 1945 Constitution.
"The application of the laws on regional autonomy and fiscal
balance should be started in less than two years," Amin, an
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
legislator, said as a response to regional demands.
PDI Perjuangan has been a faithful defender of the unitary
state. At the end of its national meeting on Sunday, the party
issued a statement which included a rejection of a federal state.
"A unitary state is not negotiable. It will become our
political stance," PDI Perjuangan secretary-general Alexander
Litaay said.
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, who is also chairman of the
National Mandate Party (PAN), has emerged as a staunch proponent
of federalism.
PDI Perjuangan's faction in the House lodged a protest against
Amien last week.
The faction said Amien violated the oath taken as Assembly
speaker which specifically pledges a commitment to uphold the
unitary state.
In a recent meeting of the MPR's ad hoc committee, Hamdan
Zulva from the Crescent Star Party faction and Patrialis Akbar
from the Reform faction urged the Assembly to throw open the idea
of a federal state for public debate.
Other factions in the ad hoc committee, including the Golkar
Party of Reform, the United Development Party (PPP), the National
Awakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have
underlined their commitment to maintaining the unitary state as
stipulated under the Constitution. (jun)