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)