Assembly gears up for Annual Session<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is gearing up for its
\nAnnual Session due to start on Aug. 1 and end on Aug. 10.<\/p>\n
The 10-day session will discuss, among other things, the
\nestablishment of the Constitutional Court, the revocation of over
\n100 obsolete MPR decrees issued between 1960 and 2002, and the
\nannual report of state institutions.<\/p>\n
At least 638 journalists working for both domestic and foreign
\nmedia have already registered to cover the session.<\/p>\n
Assembly secretary-general Rahimullah said on Wednesday the
\nevent would cost Rp 20 billion (US$2.35 million) and the Ministry
\nof Finance's director for budget had already approved the budget.<\/p>\n
Rahimullah, however, refused to give details of the fund
\nallotment, saying that the issue would be discussed on July 22.<\/p>\n
He said the fund would be allocated for five main areas --
\nsecurity, accommodation, travel, materials, and official staff.<\/p>\n
Asked whether the Assembly secretary-general would ask for
\nmore security personnel to safeguard the session, Rahimullah said
\nthe issue would be discussed on Thursday between Assembly
\nleaders, the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono
\nSutarto, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, Jakarta
\nGovernor Sutiyoso, and Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul
\nPadmanegara.<\/p>\n
An MPR ad hoc committee deliberating the revocation of the
\nAssembly decrees was still debating on Wednesday 139 obsolete
\ndecrees issued between 1960 and 2002.<\/p>\n
During the discussion, the ad hoc committee invited several
\nexperts who agreed on the whole that even though the decrees had
\nnot been revoked many of them were no longer effective.<\/p>\n
The experts also debated whether or not MPR decree No.25\/1966
\nbanning communism should be revoked.<\/p>\n
Following the adoption of the bill on direct presidential and
\nvice presidential elections, an MPR decree on the mechanism of
\npresidential and vice presidential election by the MPR will
\nsurely be revoked during the Annual Session.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a source said the 700 MPR members would stay at the
\nfive-star Mulia Hotel, close to the Assembly building, during the
\nsessions. Each of the members would receive Rp 150,000 per day in
\nattendance money.<\/p>\n
Unlike the previous four Annual sessions, this year's
\ngathering will not discuss amendments to the Constitution.<\/p>\n
It is still unclear whether the upcoming Annual Session will
\nbe the last for the current MPR.<\/p>",
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