Regional leader criticizes new oil, gas bill

Head of the Indonesian regencies association (Apkasi) Syaukani HR lambasted the government-proposed oil and gas bill for neglecting the interest of oil and gas producing regions.

Syaukani was quoted by the East Kalimantan Radar Kaltim daily as saying that under the new oil and gas bill, the central government would still control the bulk of the oil and gas revenue, while producing regions receive little revenue.

But Syaukani was not clear which part of the bill was against the interest of oil and gas producing regions.

?Frankly speaking, we strongly oppose the (new) oil and gas bill,? he said.

Syaukani said that for many years, Jakarta had controlled the oil and gas revenue, while oil and gas producing regions only received a little. He said that this should not be repeated in the future.

The oil and gas bill, which will replace the Law No. 44/1960 on oil and gas industry and Law No 8/1971 on state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina, is still being debated by the House of Representatives. The House has delayed several times the final approval of the bill as the deliberation took a much longer time than anticipated.(*)