Should Flores be a Province?

The militant effort of the committee planning the formation of new province in Flores has triggered critic and controversy.

A wonderful view in Labuan Bajo

The group led by Ngada regent Marianus Sae insistently argues that the forming of new autonomous province, separating Flores from the former province centered in Kupang would easy the administrative affairs. The realization of this proposal later on would stimulate the healthy economic growth and gain much more benefits for investors and societies.

Would social problems that have been long linked to Flores like poverty, corruption, defected bureaucracy, human trafficking, and under nutrition rate be lessened by this new plan?

           

            Going back as far the regional autonomy began to be implemented in 1999, the reasons to deliver more public services and maximize transformation in public services got strong supports of the people. But, as few regions were being new autonomous regencies like Manggarai Barat, Manggarai Timur, Mbai, and Lembata , many items of evaluation appeared. Politic is not always as good as its nature. Most people had been manipulated easily by the policy of regional autonomy and too overwhelmed by the euphoria of decentralization.

Take an example, Labuan Bajo. After having been autonomy region for almost 12 years, the absence of the general hospital and the lack of water supply remain mocking issues for this capital of Manggarai Barat regency, which is well-known for its komodo. Moreover, access to many villages is still stagnant because of bad road conditions. That’s why the central government has warned the local government by giving very low score (45) released by the committee monitoring regional autonomy (KPPOD).

Ironically, what is in the spotlight of decentralization discussion is the battle among local authorities to seize the power and accumulate the benefits being offered for elite status. Many projects, instead of bringing great impacts on the public life, are the opportunity to share benefits among those who are inside the circle of the ruling leader. It is not surprising fact that corruption has been attached to our public figure’s attitudes and behaviors. Because of those facts, the societies are continually being neglected in many important areas of daily basis like education, hospital, public market, transportation, etc.

In response to the insignificant result, the central government has amended the law (no 23 of 2014) on the local government to resist the progress of the new emerging local autonomies.  By this new regulation, the forming of new autonomy region would be reviewed in process with great detail because it has failed to accord with the public interest.

 

need more practices to get much improved

The procedure will be processed only through the central government agreement, in this case, included into the task of the ministry of internal affairs.  One of important considerations is the national political condition in general. But, even a region’s proposal would be permitted, it has to be the administrative region first for three until five years before definitely announced as the new autonomous region. Unlike before, now the new regulation has complicated the process of decentralization.

Following this complicated decentralization process, the proposal of forming the new province in Flores is getting tougher, if not said impossible.  However, the committee which always updates the fresh information through their group of Facebook named P4F (Panitia Persiapan Pembentukan Provinsi Flores), seemingly does not care with the resistance by law and the rejection of people who are pessimist that the regional autonomy possibly face the same fate.

Are they not having the hidden agenda to this plan? What interests makes them so demanding? Is that so urgent to form a new province to tackle all the social problems in Flores? No one will be sure what is exactly behind the struggle of this group unless we go into deep investigation. What we can do soon is to wonder whether this plan is urgent need or not.

Aside from the resistance offered by the central government, many people are not likely agreed with the forming of new province. Unlike the Jakarta province where the governor is actively playing the central role to develop the city, in the NTT province, all important decisions are at the hands of regents, not governor. The Governor simply has to do more with the function of coordination.

Based on this fact, signifying the presence of each regent is much more important and needed than forming a new administrative government. The basic principle of good governance would be more observed as the societies are getting involved in the political issues. Rather than struggling for the Flores province, this group is mostly expected to advocate the social problems, educate the people on public interest and politic, and monitor the government and legislators in examining the power.

            In other words, the new province would not offer any significant contribution as long as the structure on the lower level of democracy like regency remains disturbed by corruption. It just creates new matters. That is why the proposal to form a new provincial government, whether it is motivated by noble intentions or not, should be temporarily postponed for many issues we have to urgently tackle ahead.

            The new province would bring the fresh air of change if the small elements of the governance have been ready.