Wahyu Dhyatmika, Jakarta – Although the recess at the House of Representatives (DPR) starts next week, the Special Committee for the Aceh Government Draft Bill will still continue its discussions in order to meet the deadline.

"There already is a permit from the DPR Speaker to continue the discussions," Ida Fauziyah, Head of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, told reporters at the parliament complex on Tuesday (21/3).

Even so, Ida admitted she was not certain that the bill would be completed by March 31 as required by the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding. "We will not sacrifice quality, but we are doing our best to finish on time," she said.

Yesterday, the factions finished listing the inventory of problems and entered a stage of more detailed discussions.

The PKB faction, according to Ida, will fight for a two percent rise in the general allocation funds for Aceh, to be provided for a period of ten years. In addition, she also stressed her faction's support for the establishment of local political parties in Aceh.

Last Monday, the PKB faction visited the Nahdlatul Ulama Board of Directors Chairman, KH Hasyim Muzadi, in order to ask for input regarding the Aceh draft bill. "Mr Hasyim advised that any privilege for Aceh must still be controlled under the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," said Ida.

Separately, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party faction, emphasized that his faction was still suggesting non party candidates. "The requirement is that he or she can collect signatures from a minimum three percent of Aceh residents," he said.

However, Ferry, who also acts as the Aceh Government Draft Bill Special Committee Chairman, said that non party candidates would only accommodated while local political parties had not been formed. "So, this is only for this year's regional elections," he said.

In addition, Golkar has also proposed that the increase in the balance and profit share funds be between five and 20 percent higher than the government's proposal. It has also been suggested that the mechanism of regional revenue distribution be changed.

"So, tax revenues, for example, will be distributed only in Aceh, with the central government's share transferred to Jakarta. Therefore, the revenues will not first all be transferred and then distributed back after that, like under the current system," said Ferry.