Calls rise for independent constitutional commission<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Public pressure is now growing for the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) to establish an independent constitutional
\ncommission, just two days before the Assembly begins its Annual
\nSession to endorse changes agreed in the fourth phase of the
\nconstitutional amendment process.<\/p>\n
Noted Muslim cleric Solahuddin Wahid, legal expert Adnan
\nBuyung Nasution and former coordinating minister for political
\nand security affairs Gen. (ret.) Wiranto met with MPR chairman
\nAmien Rais on Tuesday to urge the Assembly to form an independent
\ncommission to synchronize amendments made in the fourth phase
\nwith those endorsed in previous stages.<\/p>\n
The National Awakening Party (PKB), the fourth-largest party,
\nvoiced a similar demand on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"We are concerned at the current amendment process,\" said
\nBuyung after a closed-door meeting with the MPR leaders here on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
However, he did not elaborate on this concern.<\/p>\n
According to Buyung, the proposed commission could be
\nestablished through a decree or by amending Article 37 of the
\n1945 Constitution to give authority to the commission.<\/p>\n
The commission, Buyung said, would be tasked with advancing
\nand harmonizing all results of amendments in the past three
\nyears.<\/p>\n
Until the constitutional commission completed its task, he
\nadded, all amended articles in the constitution ought to be
\ndeclared valid.<\/p>\n
The MPR, the country's highest legislative body, will convene
\nfrom Aug. 1 through 10 to endorse, among other things, amendments
\nagreed in the current stage of constitutional amendment.<\/p>\n
Analysts have criticized the whole process and the results of
\namendments to the 1945 Constitution, which, they said, had not
\nbeen subject to public participation and were based merely on
\npolitical parties' short-term vested interests.<\/p>\n
The Interest Groups faction, for example, has insisted on
\nmaintaining its presence in the MPR, despite agreement last year
\nthat the Assembly would comprise members of the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council
\n(DPD), all of whom must have been elected in a general election.<\/p>\n
After more than one year of deliberations, the Assembly's ad
\nhoc committee for amendment (PAH 1) has failed to reach consensus
\non the factions in the MPR.<\/p>\n
MPR members have also locked horns on a direct presidential
\nelection as they have failed to reach an agreement on the second
\nround of the election in the event that the first fails to
\nproduce a clear winner to take over the national leadership.<\/p>\n
Apart from their conflicting political interests, MPR members
\nhave also come under fire for providing the public with little
\nopportunity to participate in the amendment process.<\/p>\n
Even though PAH 1 members held hearings with various religious
\ngroups and scholars, as well as making regional visits, the time
\navailable for discussion was very limited, depriving the public
\nat large of the opportunity to participate actively in the
\nprocess.<\/p>\n
Such a political tug-of-war and lack of public participation
\nhas prompted non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and proreform
\nactivists to call for the setting up of an independent
\nconstitutional commission.<\/p>\n
An NGO coalition, headed by the Center for Electoral Reform
\n(Cetro), insisted that the commission had to be granted full
\nauthority to draft a new constitution.<\/p>\n
The existence of the commission, Cetro argued, would not be a
\nthreat to the authority of the MPR as the draft would be
\npresented to the MPR for approval. Should the MPR reject the
\ndraft, the entire electorate would have to be given a chance to
\nhave the final say through a national referendum.<\/p>\n
The campaign, however, failed to get MPR support.<\/p>\n
According to Buyung, Amien Rais gave a positive response to
\ndemands on Tuesday for the creation of a constitutional
\ncommission.<\/p>",
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