Crash course for legislators not compulsory<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto said yesterday that the crash
\ncourse which State Minister of Special Assignments Harmoko was
\npreparing for new legislators was not compulsory.<\/p>\n
The three parties -- Golkar, the United Development Party
\n(PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- were free to
\ndecide whether to enroll their representatives, said a senior
\ngovernment official.<\/p>\n
Harmoko is scheduled to assume his new cabinet post today,
\nrelinquishing his portfolio as minister of information, which he
\nhas held since 1983, to former Army chief of staff Gen. R.
\nHartono. Harmoko retains his post as Golkar's chairman.<\/p>\n
Soeharto discussed preparations for the course yesterday with
\nAlwi Dahlan, who heads BP7, the agency in charge of public
\neducation on the state ideology Pancasila. The agency will
\norganize the course under Harmoko's coordination.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, Alwi quoted Soeharto as saying that \"the
\nonly purpose of the course is to upgrade the legislators' ability
\nin articulating the people's aspirations, so that the House of
\nRepresentatives improves its social control function\".<\/p>\n
The government was offering the course because it had the
\nresources not, because it intended to dictate to the House of
\nRepresentatives, Alwi quoted the President as saying.<\/p>\n
\"They (new legislators) can refuse the course if they feel
\nthat they already know everything about the 1945 Constitution and
\nour national political system,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Alwi said the course for the 500 legislators would be divided
\ninto five groups. \"We assume that all of them will take part in
\nthe course,\" he added.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto is scheduled to induct the 500 legislators
\nat the House of Representatives on Oct. 1 following the May 29
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Based on the provisional election results, Golkar is estimated
\nto have won 325 seats, PPP 89 and PDI 10. One seat is still
\nundecided. The other 75 seats in the House are reserved for the
\nArmed Forces, whose members did not vote.<\/p>\n
The final composition of the House must wait for the final
\nresults of the general election to be announced this month.<\/p>\n
Many new faces are expected to give the House a younger look.
\nGolkar in particular is striving to rejuvenate its faction in the
\nHouse by setting term limits and fielding new candidates.<\/p>\n
The House has been widely criticized for being dysfunctional
\nin the face of the mighty government.<\/p>\n
The PPP was cautious yesterday about the new course.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not offended, but I don't feel comfortable about the
\nplan,\" PPP deputy chairman Yusuf Syakir told Antara.<\/p>\n
\"If the government wants to organize the course, then go
\nahead. But PPP cannot yet make a stand whether to accept or not.
\nWe must first see the course's content,\" Yusuf said.<\/p>\n
Human rights lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution said the \"excessive\"
\nplan could undermine the independence of legislators.<\/p>\n
The government's gesture implied that legislators were
\nexpected to be even more loyal to the government, Buyung said.<\/p>\n
He feared this might make the new legislators too afraid to
\nquestion the government.<\/p>\n
Marzuki Darusman, a former legislator and now deputy chairman
\nof the National Commission on Human Rights, considered the course
\n\"innovative\" which could lead to improved communication between
\nthe House of Representatives and the government. (06\/11)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/crash-course-for-legislators-not-compulsory-1447893297",
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