It's the Law, Enforce It!

(3/19/2011)

The chairman of the Special Committee of the Bali House of Representatives (DPRD-BALI), established to review the controversial 2009 provincial zoning law (RTRW), has told the governor of Bali to just move ahead with full implementation of his strict spatial planning regulations.[See: Can't We Just Talk it Over?].

Diesel Astawa, who heads the Special Committee, told Radar Bali: I can't fault the governor for implementing the provincial law (on zoning). That is his responsibility as governor to enforce the laws that have been ratified by the legislature."

Astawa criticized those opposed to the formation of the Special Committee of the DPRD to deal with the intense polemic over zoning, reminding all that the task of his committee is not necessarily to revise the RTRW. Said Diesel: "Our review will not necessarily lead to a revision of the law. It is just not true if there are those who say the purpose of the Special Committee is merely to smooth the way for a revision. It's called a review. This is what the people need to understand."

Diesel reminded that the 2009 RTRW requires the various regions of Bali to bring their local zoning into conformance with the provincial rules within three years of the ratification of the new law.

Diesel noted that the RTRW has been welcomed by many parties in the Balinese community, adding: "We know that there were complaints (about the RTRW) from the regencies in the process of forming the new zoning law. These written objections were placed on record with the Provincial Planning Department (Bappeda) but did not receive a serious consideration from that body." Astawa said that this fact did not escape the attention of the DPRD as an agency of control in Bali's administration. This ALSO needs to be understood as the reason and basis for the formation of the Special Committee.