We should magnanimously admit that international pressures are often more effective in prompting us to take corrective measures.
The latest example was the parliament's approval Wednesday of the new aviation law which will impose much tougher operational, financial and technical requirements on airlines. It took less than six months for the government and the House of Representatives to complete the new law which stipulates 466 articles.
The European Union's decision in July 2007 to impose a blanket ban on Indonesian airlines from flying over its air space, and its ruling last June to extend the ban indefinitely should have been the most powerful motivational force for the government to act firmly and quickly on improving its air safety regulations.
Had the problem remained mostly a domestic issue, it might have been business as usual for our airline operators and aviation regulators.
The EU move had put in great doubts the integrity and technical competence of our air safety watchdog (Air Safety Certification Directorate) which seemed to have failed to enforce even minimum safety standards.
Indeed, the string of airplane accidents in 2005-2007 had raised great concerns among the international community over our aviation safety as eventual investigations revealed failings in maintenance, operation, certification and administrative standards.
Unfortunately though, the new law still fails to fully remove international concerns regarding the integrity and competence of our aviation regulatory body which is in charge of issuing pilot licenses, aircraft operation certificates for new airlines and safety approvals -- a function that can make or break an airline.
That is because the air safety certification directorate will remain under the Transportation Ministry. The EU and most analysts had suggested that the regulatory body be made an independent institution with autonomous budgeting and staffing to make it less vulnerable to intervention by corrupt officials and other vested interest groups.
But this deficiency should not nullify the hundreds of other provisions in the law which are all designed to ensure safe aviation through much tougher terms and conditions for airliners, operators and regulators.
It is nonetheless a comfort to know that though still operating under the Transportation Ministry's oversight, the air safety certification directorate will be able to improve its integrity and technical competence because the new law provides it with budgeting autonomy.
This autonomous financial management will give the regulatory body a broader leeway for autonomous staffing. This means that it will have the authority and financial capacity to hire highly competent professionals and technicians (inspectors) to monitor and check the safety records of airplanes operating in the country.
The law also stipulates that the National Transportation Safety Committee, which investigates airline crashes, shall be an independent body that reports directly to the President.
The stricter operating, technical and financial standards -- which require an airline company to operate at least 10 aircraft, five of which shall be owned -- will accelerate consolidation within the industry, forcing mergers among some of the 14 scheduled operators during the transitional period ending in 2012.
The law will also open up possibilities for the private sector to operate airports following the government's termination of the monopoly previously held by state-owned airport operators PT Angkasa Pura I and II, which now manage 25 airports across the archipelago.
A new regulator will be set up to oversee airport businesses, and commercial interests may invest in currently state-run airports. Similar to most other countries, airport operators will no longer manage the air traffic control and navigation systems, which will become the direct responsibility of the government.
There are also many other provisions designed to protect the interests of air passengers in case of flight delay and to provide special care for people with disabilities, elderly and children under 12 years of age.
It is indeed much better for the government to focus on adequately redressing the safety oversight of air carriers, instead of continuing diplomatic lobbying to have the EU ban on our airlines lifted. And the most effective way to accomplish that is to strengthen the enforcement of aviation safety standards, as elaborated in the new law.
