530 Indonesian A officials to undergo training in S'pore

The management training is designed to help the governors and mayors run and control their regions under the new autonomy law

INDONESIA'S 30 provincial governors and 500 mayors will be trained by Singapore manage- ment experts on how to take con- trol of their own regions under the new autonomy law.

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The ranking officials will come to Singapore over the next few months in batches of 30 to learn environmental management, local government management, and public service management techniques, the facilitators of the program said. The week-long course will be conducted by the Singapore Institute of Commerce (SIC), while the costs, estimated to be close to S$500,000, will be borne by the Indonesian National Association of Provincial Governors (APPSI). The SIC was the only non-Indonesian body that was consulted by the APPSI to assist with the autonomy program. The institute presented a paper at a three-day APPSI conference in Bandung, West Java, last week.

A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed this week.

"There are many different problems in the different provinces. We will look at the basic necessities of each district and work out solutions for them," said SIC chairman Kannappan Chettiar. The Indonesian central government previously had control of the regions, but under a new law, the central government will only have control of foreign policy; monetary, judicial, and court affairs; and defense matters. Regions will now handle the licensing of trade and industry, mining, agriculture, and forestry affairs. The new Indonesian autonomy law went into effect this year. But there are others that want more out of the program. Aceh, for example, is seeking help with conflict-resolution techniques, while Irian Jaya is looking for assistance with implementing a scheme that sees both the public and private domains integrate to improve conditions there.

"But almost all were concerned with environmental policy," Mr. Chettiar said.

One regent, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals, said he was looking forward to the training, as "he would be better equipped to deal with the military and Megawati's government."

The program will be conducted at the SIC's residential training center in Mount Vernon Road, and it is understood that the Trade Development Board will assist with meeting Singapore officials.