Jakarta Special Region Bill: Vice President to Lead the Council?

TheIndonesia.id - Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said the government has proposed that the vice president lead the Agglomeration Area Council in the Jakarta Special Region Bill (RUU DKJ) because that would help tackle complex cross-ministerial problems.

"The President and Vice President already address complex problems that necessitate coordination between ministries," Karnavian said during a meeting with the House of Representatives' Legislation Body (DPR) in Jakarta on Wednesday.

"The President's responsibilities are wide-ranging, so the Vice President can focus on managing these specific tasks," he added, as quoted by Antara.

He said that it is important to harmonize, organize, and evaluate the development of the agglomeration area, which has many common problems, including pollution, traffic jams, floods, migration, and health problems.

He added that the vice president's authority in the Agglomeration Area Council will be on the lines of his role as the chair of the Papua Special Autonomy Acceleration Steering Board (BP3OKP).

"This is actually copying the VP's role in the Papua Development Acceleration Agency, focusing on coordination, synchronization, and evaluation," he added.

However, he stated that the vice president will not be alone in leading the Agglomeration Area Council.

"But (the VP) will be responsible to the President; even the President can take over (the council)," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chair of Committee I of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), Sylviana Murni, said that the direct attribution of authority to the VP as chair of the Agglomeration Area Council in the DKJ Bill must be paid attention to so as not to cause dualism of power between the president and vice president.

"The tasks assigned to the Vice President should be derived from the President's authority as the highest authority," she added.