Fears of constitutional reforms deadlock subside<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Fears of a deadlock in the constitutional amendment process
\nsubsided on Sunday when the Interest Groups faction (FUG)
\nreaffirmed its commitment to supporting the finalization of the
\nlatest batch of amendments to the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a press conference, faction leader Siswono
\nYudohusodo denied reports that the faction had been campaigning
\nto thwart the fourth phase of the process at the Annual Session
\nof the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
"The FUG supports amendments that ensure the creation of a
\nbetter situation for the whole nation. Any such reports are
\nbaseless," said Siswono, an appointed representative from the
\nIndonesian Farmers' Association (HKTI).<\/p>\n
His statement poured cold water on the increasing political
\ntension following reports that over 200 legislators had formed a
\ncaucus to thwart the amendments.<\/p>\n
With the actual number of MPR members standing at 674, the
\n"anti-amendment" camp needed the support of 225 legislators to
\nthwart the amendment process.<\/p>\n
Members of the Interest Groups faction were reported to have
\njoined the maneuver with their main target being to ensure their
\ncontinued presence in the MPR. If the raft of amendments are
\nendorsed, the faction will be absent from the Assembly to be
\nelected during the 2004 general election.<\/p>\n
The main instigators of the maneuver were legislators from the
\nlargest faction in the Assembly, the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan legislator Suwignyo claimed that the move had
\nwon the support of 110 Assembly members.<\/p>\n
"The amendments have deviated from the philosophy of the
\nPreamble to the 1945 Constitution. Therefore, the process must be
\nstopped," Suwignyo said on the sidelines of a meeting on Sunday.<\/p>\n
According to Suwignyo, the 110 legislators were concerned
\nabout the way the amendment process had taken place. He said that
\nhis group had forged a coalition with legislators from the FUG
\nand PKB in order to thwart the process.<\/p>\n
Several legislators from the PDI Perjuangan tried to disrupt
\nthe discussions of Commission A for constitutional amendment on
\nSunday by repeatedly interrupting the meeting one after the
\nother.<\/p>\n
Legislators Amin Aryoso, Bambang Pranoto, Frans F.H. Matrutty,
\nHaryanto Taslam, Sukono and Suwignyo repeatedly questioned the
\nauthority of the MPR, which they said had ceased to exist after
\nlast year's series of amendments had been passed.<\/p>\n
The repeated interruptions by the PDI Perjuangan legislators
\nprompted Commission A to postpone the talks on the substance of
\namendments until Monday.<\/p>\n
Commission A was scheduled to start the deliberation of the
\nfourth, or final, phase of the constitutional amendment process
\non Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
The ongoing ten-day Annual Session is set to endorse several
\narticles, including one on the composition of the MPR.<\/p>\n
If the draft amendment is endorsed, the appointed
\nrepresentatives of the FUG will be expelled from the MPR as
\nhenceforth all members of the MPR will be elected.<\/p>\n
In search of compromise, Siswono said that his faction would
\npropose the adoption of a "bicameral plus system", which would
\ninclude the House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional
\nRepresentatives Council (DPD), and the Interest Groups.<\/p>\n
"This system will ensure that all groups get representation in
\nthe MPR," Siswono added.<\/p>\n
Besides the unresolved issue of the composition of the MPR,
\ndemands for the inclusion of the Jakarta Charter in Article 29
\nremains another hot topic for the Annual Session.<\/p>\n
Two Islamic parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and
\nthe Crescent Star Party (PBB), have been pressing for the
\ninclusion of seven words from the Jakarta Charter in Article 29
\nof the Constitution.<\/p>\n
The original version of the article states that the nation is
\nbased on one Supreme God, but the PPP and PBB want to include the
\nphrase "with the obligation to practice sharia (Islamic law) for
\nits followers".<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fears-of-constitutional-reforms-deadlock-subside-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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