Interpretations of Decentralization by Stakeholders

Abstract

As mentioned above, the agenda for reformation was democratization, good governance, and decentralization. Acts No. 22/1999 and No. 25/1999 concerning regional autonomy and financial balancing significantly changed the authority for managing various sectors, institutions (DPRD and BPD), personal recruitment staff, and financial balancing (Significant change has occurred in the role of local parliament (DPRD I & II). The function of the local parliament is to elect the head of government and head of district and to monitor the final reports annually. At the village level, the role of BPD (Village Representative Board) is to draft planning, village regulations, and the annual budget and to monitor the head of the village (Interview with I Made Suwandi, Director of Policy Facilitation and Evaluation of Regional Autonomy, Ministry of Domestic Affairs, August 7, 2003, in Jakarta)). How did the role of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs change due to these new laws? This chapter focuses on the discussion about the role of the DPRD in district, the BPD at the village level, public services, and financial balancing. The monitoring and implementation of these four items lies within the domain of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs.