Government objects to House-sponsored bills<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is ready to present alternative bills on the
\nministerial offices and the presidential advisory board, claiming
\nthat the drafts sponsored by the House of Representatives
\nrestrict the authority of the president, who is directly elected
\nby the people.<\/p>\n
Citing the amended 1945 Constitution that changed the
\npresidential election system, the government insisted that there
\nshould be a bigger room for the elected president to determine
\nthe shape of the Cabinet and the number of the ministerial
\noffices as well as those of presidential advisory board.<\/p>\n
\"We consider the bills too restrictive for the directly
\nelected president,\" interim coordinating minister for security
\nand political affairs Hari Sabarno said after a limited
\nCabinet meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia adopts the presidential system of government,
\nalthough the amended Constitution has reduced the power of the
\npresident by allowing the House to intervene in a president's
\nchoice of Cabinet members.<\/p>\n
\"Our point is there should be portfolio ministerial offices
\nthat must be present in every Cabinet, but the non-portfolio
\noffices must be the prerogative of the president to establish,
\nregroup, or dissolve,\" Hari said.<\/p>\n
Traditional portfolio ministerial offices in the Cabinet
\ninclude those dealing with home affairs, foreign affairs,
\nfinance, education and defense.<\/p>\n
\"The size of the Cabinet lineup and the non-portfolio
\nministerial offices should be the prerogative of the president to
\ndecide, because this may change in accordance with the needs of
\nthe government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The House-proposed bill offers 31 ministerial offices, 21 of
\nthem portfolio ministries that will have supporting offices in
\nthe regions. It says the Cabinet lineup should follow the
\nprinciples of international tradition, historical reasons and
\nnational needs.<\/p>\n
Hari said the two alternative bills would be presented to the
\nfaction leaders in the House as soon as possible by several
\nministers who have been assigned by the President to represent
\nthe government in the deliberation of the bills.<\/p>\n
The House had proposed the bills on the ministerial offices
\nand presidential advisory board early this year and is waiting
\nfor the government's response.<\/p>\n
On the bill on presidential advisory board, Hari refused to go
\ninto details, saying it needed further discussion with the House.<\/p>\n
The House expects to finish the deliberation of the two bills
\nbefore it completes its term at the end of September, to give the
\npresident who is elected in the Sept. 20 election runoff
\nguidelines in setting up his or her Cabinet.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-objects-to-house-sponsored-bills-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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