Amendment must protect regional interests: Observer<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Public discourse on amendments to the 1945 Constitution must not
\nignore the regions who have demanded the inclusion of regional
\nrepresentatives through the setting up of an independent
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
Saldi Isra of Andalas University in Padang said on Friday that
\nthe interests of the regions must be guaranteed in both the
\nprocess and the substance of constitutional amendments.<\/p>\n
\"People from the regions must have the opportunity to take
\npart in the constitutional amendment,\" Saldi told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Saldi, who has joined a coalition of nongovernmental
\norganizations campaigning for a new constitution, said the
\nestablishment of an independent commission, whose members include
\nregional representatives, would guarantee that the interests of
\nthe regions were protected.<\/p>\n
According to Zaldi, the substance of the Constitution must
\nprotect the interests of the regions and specifically
\ndifferentiate between the authority of the central government and
\nthat of the regions.<\/p>\n
\"Articles in the Constitution that specifically mention the
\nauthority of the regional areas will prevent dubious
\ninterpretation,\" said Saldi.<\/p>\n
He strongly criticized the amendment process in the past three
\nyears which was carried out by an elite circle in the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The third amendment last year endorsed the establishment of
\nthe Regional Representatives Council (DPD), which, along with the
\nHouse of Representatives, would create a bicameral system.<\/p>\n
The DPD would not only lead to the creation of a bicameral
\nsystem, but protect the interests of regions as the DPD would
\nhave authority to outline regulations on autonomy.<\/p>\n
However the idea on the establishment of the DPD had been
\nfacing tough challenges in the past few weeks.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
\nIndonesia's most influential political party, which had agreed to
\nthe third amendment last year, had argued that the DPD would
\nthreaten the existence of the unitary state of the Republic of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
It also demanded that the establishment of the DPD endorsed
\nlast November be scrapped.<\/p>\n
\"The regional representatives council would be given wide-
\nranging authorities to deliberate the bill on regional autonomy,
\nwhich could bring the autonomy drive too far,\" Tarto Sudiro, the
\nhead of the ruling party's research and development section, told
\nreporters on Friday.<\/p>\n
Principally, Tarto said, his party supported the amendment to
\nthe Constitution, except for several crucial parts of the
\nConstitution, including the Preamble.<\/p>\n
\"The amendment of the preamble will eventually dissolve the
\nunitary state of Indonesia, and we should prevent this,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan suggested that the amendment should be
\ncarefully deliberated since there are pros and cons behind it.<\/p>\n
\"If there is a deadlock, the Constitution Commission, which is
\nformed through a referendum, must be given the mandate to go
\nahead with the amendment.<\/p>\n
\"If there is a deadlock, the presidential decree, as a means
\nto settle the problem, should be avoided so as not to spark
\ncontroversy among the public,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/amendment-must-protect-regional-interests-observer-1447893297",
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