E. Timor legislators asked to quit<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Four legislators representing East Timor have been asked to quit
\nthe House of Representatives (DPR) as the fledgling country is no
\nlonger part of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Endin A.J. Soefihara, secretary of the United Development
\nParty (PPP) faction, urged the legislators to withdraw from the
\nHouse, while A.M. Luthfi of the Reform faction called for a
\nreview of their membership in the House.<\/p>\n
The four legislators, elected to represent East Timor in 1999,
\nare: Setya Novanto and Natercia Do Menino Jesus Osorio Soares of
\nthe Golkar Party, and Rekso Ageng Herman and Ronny B.S. Hutagaol
\nof the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).
\nOnly Soares is a native East Timorese.<\/p>\n
East Timor voted for independence in a United Nations-
\norganized referendum in 1999, and in May 2002 will become the
\nfirst country to achieve independence in the 21st century.<\/p>\n
Calls are mounting for the four legislators to resign from the
\nHouse as they have no more constituents.<\/p>\n
However, Golkar and PDI Perjuangan are unlikely to let the
\nfour quit as it would directly affect their bargaining position
\nin the House.<\/p>\n
"Legally, their membership in the DPR ceased when the East
\nTimorese voted to break way from Indonesia. Being a legislator,
\none must have constituents," Endin told The Jakarta Post on
\nFriday night.<\/p>\n
"Whom do they represent? Their constituents and territory do
\nnot exist anymore," said Endin, adding that their seats should be
\ngiven to new provinces.<\/p>\n
Luthfi said the status of those legislators should be reviewed
\nafter East Timor obtains independence in May, 2002.<\/p>\n
"We must talk about their status after that date," Luthfi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
But, according to Golkar faction chairman Marzuki Achmad, the
\nfour legislators would keep their posts until the next general
\nelection in 2004.<\/p>\n
"Those legislators will remain in their position until 2004.
\nWe have no plan to change their status," he told the Post<\/p>\n
He said the four legislators would keep busy looking after the
\ninterests of the 128,000 East Timorese refugees in West Timor.
\nThe refugees have run out of food after Indonesia stopped aid
\nearly last January.<\/p>\n
"Although the territory will secede from Indonesia, several
\nproblems including refugees and students need to be taken into
\naccount. Therefore, political representation is still needed,"
\nMarzuki said.<\/p>\n
He said both Natercia and Setya Novanto often welcomed
\ndelegations of East Timorese refugees discussing the future of
\nthose refugees. "I think the process will last long," he added.<\/p>\n
Vice-chairman of PDI Perjuangan faction Panda Nababan,
\nmeanwhile, said his faction would leave the issue to the General
\nElection Commission (KPU).<\/p>\n
"KPU will decide on the issue. We wait for that institution to
\nmake a decision," Panda said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah urged House leaders
\nto send a letter to President Megawati Soekarnoputri, asking her
\nto decide on the issue.<\/p>\n
"This matter should be decided by the President because the
\nlegislators were sworn in by the President," Mulyana told the
\nPost.<\/p>\n
He, however, advised the four legislators to resign
\nvoluntarily as they had no more constituents.<\/p>\n
Earlier, one of the legislators, Rekso Ageng Herman, said he
\nwould not resign so that he could keep helping East Timorese
\nrefugees to have a better future.<\/p>\n
"They (East Timorese refugees) are still my constituents. They
\nare still Indonesian citizens. The problem was only their
\nstatus," Rekso said.<\/p>\n
He revealed that currently the government had offered the East
\nTimorese refugees new settlement in the nearby Wetar island, but
\nthey had not made up their mind.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/e-timor-legislators-asked-to-quit-1447893297",
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