Hamzah calls for prudence in amending Constitution<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz said on Friday that deliberation on
\nthe amendment to the Constitution should proceed, but insisted
\nthat articles concerning the nation's founding principles be left
\nuntouched.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the amendment be limited to articles
\nconcerning the people's welfare and education while the
\npreamble, the articles on religious affairs and those related to
\nprinciples of the nationhood should remain as they are.<\/p>\n
\"We should amend the Constitution with prudence, especially
\nwhen it comes to articles which have become the foundation of the
\nnation,\" Hamzah was quoted as saying by chairman of the Central
\nBoard of the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII), Nusron
\nWahid, who met the Vice President on Friday.<\/p>\n
Hamzah had earlier suggested that the amendment exclude
\nArticle 33 on the country's economic system. The article promotes
\nsocial equity and well-being.<\/p>\n
Controversy has shrouded the amendment, with the People's
\nConsultative Assembly coming under fire for thinking of short-
\nterm objectives. Some non-governmental organizations have
\nrepeatedly suggested that the amendment of fundamental articles
\nbe left to an independent commission.<\/p>\n
There have been demands from certain groups for an end to the
\namendment process on the grounds that it has tended to be an
\noverhaul of the Constitution.<\/p>\n
Separately, Assembly speaker Amin Rais said the amendment
\nprocess had entered its final stage, therefore, it was already
\ntoo late to establish an independent commission.<\/p>\n
He also questioned the sudden opposition to the amendment
\nprocess.<\/p>\n
\"If we halt the amendment process now, does that mean we then
\nreturn to the existing Constitution which has caused crises in
\nthe state administration?\" he said on the sidelines of a congress
\nbeing held by Nahdlatul Ulama youth wing Anshor here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Amien called on the people to respect the amended
\nConstitution, which would be approved during the Assembly annual
\nsession this August.<\/p>\n
Among the contending issues in the amendment process is the
\nmilitary and police faction's struggle to retain their seats in
\nthe Assembly. The draft amendment says the faction will no longer
\nexist.<\/p>\n
Others are concerned that radical-leaning Muslim groups will
\nalso push for their own ideological agenda to demand for adoption
\nof Islamic law.<\/p>\n
Anshor chairman Syaifullah Yusuf shared Hamzah's view, saying
\nthat amending the constitution should not be rushed into with the
\nobsession of meeting the August deadline.<\/p>\n
\"No need to force the process, the parts that still require
\nfurther assessment could be finalized next year,\" Syaifullah, who
\nis also the National Awakening Party (PKB) secretary-general,
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
He also suggested that the Assembly allow more public
\nparticipation in the amendment process.<\/p>\n
Thus far, only six of the targeted 18 articles have been
\ndeliberated by the Assembly's ad-hoc commission in charge of the
\nconstitutional amendment as the process has been plagued by
\nconflicting interests among legislators.<\/p>",
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