Governor wants central govt to stay away from reconstruction

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Padang   |  Mon, 10/26/2009 1:27 PM  |  The Archipelago

Newly installed acting West Sumatra Governor Prof. Marlis Rahman, has requested the central government give his administration full responsibility for reconstruction work after a powerful quake devastated much of the province late last month.

"We ask for this authority to be given to us 100 percent. Autonomously we will be fully responsible for all aspects *reconstruction efforts and disaster relief funds*," he said in Padang, West Sumatra, on Saturday.

Marlis, who was the West Sumatra deputy governor, was appointed as the provincial acting governor last Friday to replace outgoing Governor Gamawan Fauzi, who is now the home minister.

The West Sumatra Legislative Council is scheduled to hold a plenary session soon to declare him as the acting governor. "A presidential decree will be needed to officially install me as the governor," Marlis said.

Marlis said the requested autonomy would allow him to manage relief funds to rebuild houses and other buildings as well as public facilities destroyed or damaged by the Sept. 30, 2009 quake.

"The disaster in West Sumatra is not the same as that in Aceh, which required handling by the central government because the Aceh administration collapsed at the time," Marlis said.

He said there was no reason for Jakarta not to hand over reconstruction efforts to the West Sumatra administration and public service offices that remain in operation after the quake.

However, the provincial administration will need a steering team from the central government to coordinate operational works and financial assistance at the central level, and to drop the relief aid to West Sumatra, he said.

The acting governor said the steering team will act as a supervisor, while the local administration will be responsible for technical affairs. "The technical issues are related to the budget and the authority to use it. Pak Syamsul Maarif has agreed with this arrangement," Marlis said, referring to the Disaster Management National Board chairman.

He said he hoped the central government would determine the emergency period for quake victims on Monday, when the new chief economic minister Hatta Radjasa visits Padang.

The West Sumatra administration had proposed the two-month emergency period be cut short until Oct. 21. to immediately start reconstruction work in the affected areas, but President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono refused the proposal.

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