AN abundance of money does not always bring forth blessings. At least that is how the Mayor of Blitar, Djarot Saiful Hidayat, feels. Since 2001, Indonesia applied regional autonomy. Regional governments must manage more than 30 percent of the state budget. This year, the funds that they must manage by themselves reach nearly Rp130 trillion.

Decentralization has stung many regional governments, said Djarot. Unlike in the past, they must now determ