Democrats' Views On Jakarta's Participation: Will Be Given A Head But Hold In The Aftermath

Meeting on the discussion of the DKI Bill in the Legislative Room of the DPR, Parliament Complex, Central Jakarta, Friday, March 15. (Nailin-VOI)

JAKARTA - Member of the House of Representatives Baleg from the Democratic Party faction, Herman Khaeron, questioned the particularity of Jakarta in the Draft Jakarta Special Region Bill (RUU DKJ). Because according to him, the central government can still intervene in Jakarta when making regional regulations (Perda). It's like, he said, being given a head but holding a tail.

Herman alluded to Article 20 paragraph (3) Chapter IV of Government Affairs and Special Authority which reads "The central government has the authority to establish norms, standards, procedures and criteria for administering government affairs under the authority of the DK Jakarta Province as referred to in paragraph 1 in accordance with the provisions of the legislation."

"This means that if I look at this side, it seems that (the speciality of Jakarta, ed) is given a head, but it is held in the aftermath," Herman said during a meeting to discuss the DKI Bill in the Legislative Room of the DPR, Parliament Complex, Central Jakarta, Friday, March 15.

The chairman of the Democratic Party's DPP also questioned Article 20 Paragraph (2) which said, "In order to establish norms, standards, procedures as paragraph 2, the central government involves special regional governments."

Herman assessed that the verse contained that the central government did not provide freedom and specificity for Jakarta. So, he said, the DKJ Bill does not provide specificity for Jakarta itself.

"Involving is still the aftermath of the central government. It means that if you are questioned by previous friends, yes of course I also question where in particular?," said Herman.

Kalau dulu, kata Herman, kekhususan Jakarta memang sebagai ibukota negara. Namun setelah tak lagi jadi ibukota, belum ada hal yang mencerminkan kekhususan daerah khusus Jakarta.

"Unless it is connected, for example with agglomeration, now it is special, there is no longer in Indonesia except Jakarta. This is my intention, the specificity is not only to the authority of sectoral management like earlier or the administrative side, but the authorities that are the specificity that DKI is a special area," said Herman.

"For example, DKI is a special residential area. Now that's a special area, sir, specifically for residential areas that are environmentally friendly, for example. But as long as DKI Jakarta still has factories, there are still houses, there are still other areas, yes, it's not special," he concluded.