Assembly to pass amended constitution<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): After days of fierce debate, the first Annual
\nSession of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) looks set for
\na happy ending.<\/p>\n
All factions hinted on Tuesday their principle support for the
\nwork of the three commissions tasked with preparing draft decrees
\nand amendments to the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
The commissions submitted seven draft chapters to be
\nincorporated into the Constitution, six draft decrees and a draft
\ndecree appendix on evaluation of the state institutions' progress
\nreports.<\/p>\n
The 227-member Commission A which deliberated the draft
\namendments to the Constitution completed only seven of 15
\nchapters proposed. Commission B finished six draft decrees, which
\nincluded amendments to the Assembly's internal rulings, the
\nseparation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) from National Police
\nand national unity.<\/p>\n
The draft decree appendix handed over by the Commission C
\ncontains the Assembly's recommendations to state institutions
\nafter evaluating their progress reports.<\/p>\n
Jacob Tobing, Commission A chairman, apologized for his team's
\nfailure to complete deliberation of 15 chapters prepared by the
\nAssembly's working committee.<\/p>\n
\"The failure was not because of not enough deliberation but
\nbecause of our extra-cautiousness when deliberating all
\nmaterials,\" he told a plenary session presided over by MPR
\nSpeaker Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
The seven chapters of constitutional amendments to be endorsed
\ndeal with regional administrations, state territory, human
\nrights, defense and security and national flag, language, symbol
\nand anthem.<\/p>\n
He said after the plenary session that the commission decided
\nnot to deliberate chapters on religions, direct presidential
\nelection and the military\/police's presence at the Assembly for
\nfear that they would spark bitter debate in the society.<\/p>\n
Rambe Kamarulzaman, Commission B chairman, said all factions
\nin his commission had no serious difficulties in deliberating the
\nsix draft decrees prepared by the working committee because the
\ncommission was free from political interests.<\/p>\n
The chairman of Commission C, Faisal Baasir, said that his
\ncommission proposed the appendix to show the Assembly's serious
\nattention to the government's poor performance.<\/p>\n
\"The appendix is a gentle instruction for the President to
\nissue a detailed presidential decree on the Vice President's new
\ntasks. With a clear division of labor between the President and
\nVice President, the government is expected to improve its
\nperformance in years to come,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The MPR is slated to make a final decision on the
\nrecommendations in a plenary session on Friday.<\/p>\n
In their responses to the commissions' reports, all factions
\nsupported the changes made to the constitution, except for three
\nsensitive issues.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nand the Golkar Party, the two biggest factions at the Assembly,
\nconfirmed their refusal to deliberate the three crucial issues to
\navoid splitting society.<\/p>\n
The United Development Party (PPP), Crescent Star Party (PBB)
\nand Reform factions said they wished to insert the syariah
\n(Islamic law) in chapter 29 of the Constitution.<\/p>\n
Several minority factions proposed a direct presidential
\nelection. The major factions turned down it on the grounds that
\nthe nation was not yet ready for it.<\/p>\n
The major factions also agreed to write the Indonesian
\nMilitary\/National Police's presence at the Assembly in the
\nconstitution despite criticisms from minority factions and from
\nmany people outside the Assembly.<\/p>\n
Permadi, spokesman for the PDI Perjuangan faction, said all
\nmaterials untouched in the session should be deliberated by the
\nAssembly's working committee and endorsed by the Assembly in 2002
\nat the latest.<\/p>\n
\"Our faction wants the Assembly to decide on all the crucial
\nmaterials to be deliberated by the working committee in
\ncooperation with an independent team of experts,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The PBB faction dismissed fears of the application of syariah
\nas exaggerated and baseless, saying Islamic law would only be
\nimposed on Muslim people.<\/p>\n
\"If Islamic law takes effect, all Muslim people would be
\nobliged to comply with it and it will not be imposed on non-
\nMuslim citizens ... ,\" M.S. Kaban, spokesman for the PBB faction,
\nsaid in the plenary session.<\/p>\n
Except the PDI Perjuangan and National Awakening factions
\nwhich were tight-lipped about the government's progress report,
\nall factions gave their support to the draft decree recommending
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid issue a detailed presidential decree
\non Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri's new tasks.<\/p>\n
The Golkar faction was critical of the government's poor
\nperformance. But it appreciated the President's good will in
\nassigning the Vice President with the day-to-day running of
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"The delegation of duties should incorporate authority,\" Simon
\nPetrus Morin, Golkar faction spokesman, said.<\/p>\n
The PDI Perjuangan faction asked that the delegation of duties
\nshould not cause conflict between the President and the Vice
\nPresident and their supporters.<\/p>\n
\"We do not want the handover of tasks to spark both
\npsychological and political conflicts between the President and
\nthe Vice President and a rift at the grassroots,\" said Permadi.
\n(team)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/assembly-to-pass-amended-constitution-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}