JAKARTA (AFP) - A leading architect of Indonesia's regional autonomy laws has warned of 'recentralisation' efforts by the central government, which he said could spark widespread rebellion.

"The Bupatis (district chiefs) are very concerned at the prospect of recentralisation. This is very serious," said Ryaas Ryasid, former State Minister for Regional Autonomy and Administrative Reform.

"Right now there are only two rebellions - in Aceh and Irian Jaya - but once the government recentralises, 360-something Bupatis will rebel against the government, and that's very serious," he told an American business luncheon yesterday.

The autonomy laws were introduced on January 1 to empower Indonesia's 32 provinces and 364 districts to decide on their own budget and administration, leaving Jakarta to deal with foreign affairs, monetary and defence affairs as well as 40 percent of provincial tax revenues.

They autonomy plan as initiated by former president BJ Habibie in an effort to address mounting resentment towards the central government and stem separatism.

Rasyid however said there had been mounting efforts by the central government to "re-centralise", or wrest back authority.

He cited a presidential decree issued in February this year which returned authority over land administration to the central government.

"Plus there are several ministerial decrees from the energy ministry, the forestry ministry, and others, which declare the postponement of the delegation of authority for another two years," Rasyid said.

Megawati chatised

Rasyid rebuked Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri and her staff for criticising the autonomy laws last week and advocating their revision.

"I strongly reminded her not to go ahead with the idea because it's dangerous play," he said in response to Megawati's comments that the laws were against the principles of Indonesia's 'unitary state' and should be revised.

"It can be clearly seen that the concepts implemented by the law are actually on a different path, or even against the basic principles adopted by the Constitution," Megawati said in a speech at the home affairs ministry.

"I expect there to be a conceptual revision of the law as soon as possible," the Jakarta Post quoted her as saying.

"I blame her staff for (writing) her that kind of speech," Rasyid said, adding he believed Megawati changed her mind in a speech to a military think-tank two days later, and "stated her support for the laws".

"So it's very dependent on her speech writers, I believe," Rasyid said.

Rasyid had resigned from the cabinet late last year in protest at the lack of teeth in the laws to implement autonomy. He blamed the government of President Abdurrahman Wahid for failing to guide the autonomy moves.

No clear guidelines

District governments have complained of a lack of clear guidelines, and businesses voiced fears of a tax-grab by the newly-empowered governments and confusion as to where ultimate authority lay.

"It's because of the lack of supervision, lack of control from the central government," Rasyid said.

He accused Wahid of having no plan for dealing with separatist movements in Aceh and Irian Jaya, which lie at opposite ends of Indonesia's archipelago.

Rasyid said when he was minister, Wahid told him the deadly separatist strife which has torn Aceh apart for more than two decades was caused by "a crazy man" stealing sand from a Muslim cleric's grave.

"Gus Dur (Wahid's nickname) said...'So you need to take back the sand and put it in the ulema's grave and there will be peace in Aceh,'" Rasyid said.

"That's why I'm very pessimistic about solving the problems in Aceh and Irian Jaya with this kind of approach," Rasyid said, adding regional autonomy problems "can be fixed if there is a strong government very soon."