Debate rages over military in DPR<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political expert Arbi Sanit says the Armed
\nForces (ABRI) should no longer be represented in the House of
\nRepresentatives, but Golkar legislator Abu Hasan Sazili campaigns
\nfor the military's presence to be retained for \"the sake of the
\nnation.\"<\/p>\n
Sazili said on Friday that if ABRI had to go, it must be done
\ngradually. Arbi, however, insisted that \"50 years is enough\".<\/p>\n
Both were commenting on a draft decree on general elections
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is expected to adopt
\nduring its Nov. 10 to Nov. 13 Special Session.<\/p>\n
Besides resetting the date of the poll -- from 2003 to May or
\nJune 1999 -- the draft decree also seeks to maintain ABRI's
\npresence in the House.<\/p>\n
It is one of 12 MPR draft decrees planned to be passed in the
\nSpecial Session. Another draft has also been prepared on the
\nsession's schedule.<\/p>\n
The small Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) was the
\nonly faction campaigning for the dismissal of ABRI from the House
\nearlier when the Assembly's Working Committee (BP MPR) were
\npreparing for the upcoming Special Session.<\/p>\n
But PPP lost votes to Golkar, ABRI, Regional Representatives
\nand the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) factions.<\/p>\n
The PPP, however, has vowed to fight for the cause in the
\nSpecial Session.<\/p>\n
On seat allotment for ABRI in the House, Article I (6) of the
\ndraft on general elections stipulates: \"Members of the Republic
\nof Indonesia's DPR and provincial legislature (DPRD) comprise
\nmembers of contesting political parties who are elected in the
\npoll and ABRI soldiers who are appointed.\"<\/p>\n
The decree also says that as a socio-political force, ABRI
\nacts as stabilizer and a force that lends dynamics to the
\nPancasila democracy. It says ABRI members do not vote in the
\nelections and that its members in the DPR\/MPR is through
\nappointments.<\/p>\n
Sazili argued the stipulation was not a \"fait accompli\" on the
\nHouse -- currently deliberating three political bills including
\non elections and MPR\/DPR\/DPRD structure and position -- to accept
\nABRI's presence.<\/p>\n
If passed, the MPR decree will be more superior in status than
\nthe political bills discussed by the House.<\/p>\n
\"We can still negotiate the number (of allocated seats for
\nABRI members), can't we? The stipulation does not fix a certain
\nnumber,\" said Sazili, who heads the DPR's 87-legislator strong
\nspecial committee assigned to deliberate the bills.<\/p>\n
The bill on MPR\/DPR\/DPRD structure and position says ABRI will
\nbe allocated 55 seats in the new 550-member House, or the 700-
\nmember MPR. The Assembly will comprise of DPR members, plus 81
\nregional representatives and 69 professional groups
\nrepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Arbi, however, said the decree was a cause for concern because
\nit sought to retain the military presence in the House.<\/p>\n
Sazili argued ABRI may be sent out of the House only after the
\ngeneral elections in 2004.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe ABRI is already willing to get out,\" Sazili said.<\/p>\n
\"What's important now is how to avoid appointed members being
\na majority in the House,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Arbi said it must be now or never.<\/p>\n
Sazili warned of \"a problem\" if ABRI was to be totally driven
\nout from the DPR now.<\/p>\n
\"This could create dissatisfaction within ABRI. We (DPR) don't
\nwant this nation to break up, do we?\" Sazili said.<\/p>\n
Arbi retorted: \"How unfair (the DPR has been)! Why be afraid
\nof the 500,000-strong ABRI, when ignoring millions of others who
\nwant to see ABRI out of the House?\"<\/p>\n
Arbi dismissed the suggestion that ABRI needed to be retained
\nin the House for the nation's sake.<\/p>\n
\"Legislators should be representatives of the people, not
\nrepresentatives of the nation. The nation's representative is
\nlike a president when he or she is abroad,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sazili and Arbi, however, agreed that debates on the issue
\nwould continue.<\/p>\n
Sazili said: \"ABRI at present must be seen as a force which
\nhas improved itself to be a better one than it was. There's been
\nimprovement within ABRI.\"<\/p>\n
Arbi said the Assembly would lose people's respect if it
\npassed the decree on ABRI's presence in the House.<\/p>\n
\"It's a test-case for the MPR\/DPR to prove that it is a
\nreformed MPR\/DPR, not a bunch of... Soehartoists,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another test for the Assembly was whether it would adopt a
\ndecree seeking to investigate those allegedly abused by Soeharto
\nduring his 32 years as president.<\/p>\n
However, Arbi said he was pessimistic about the Assembly
\nrising to the challenge. (23\/44\/aan)<\/p>",
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