Harsh words for MPR from average Joe<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The nine-day Annual Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) ended on Friday with a limited number of successes
\nand failures. It turned out that, aside from the shameful display
\nof fisticuffs on the first day, average citizens were simply
\napathetic about the event that cost Rp 18 billion (about US$1.5
\nmillion) to taxpayers.<\/p>\n
Joko Pekik, artist: I don't see any use or the urgency of the
\nsession. What did the legislators do? Making new decrees, or
\namending the constitution? Frankly speaking, I don't care.<\/p>\n
What makes me skeptical about the Assembly as a whole is its
\nfailure to retract its decree No 25\/1966 on Communism. I became
\none of the decree's victims. (Pekik was imprisoned on suspicion
\nof being a communist activist.)<\/p>\n
The history of Indonesia is not determined by the Assembly
\ndecrees. The Dutch considered Diponegoro and Soekarno rebels, but
\nthey were heroes to Indonesians.<\/p>\n
I heard that it costs Rp 18 billion to hold the Annual
\nSession. Where did the money go? If it were 'eaten' by the
\nlegislators, you can imagine, that Rp 18 billion would become a
\nhuge hill of s#*t.<\/p>\n
Dian, 25, civil-servant: Who cared? I did not bother. I no
\nlonger trust those legislators. They only work for their own
\ninterests or group. I don't like politics. I am getting bored.<\/p>\n
Frankly, I do not follow the progress in the Annual Session.
\nUsually, I come home from work at 10.00 p.m. and go to sleep. The
\nAnnual Session did not attract me.<\/p>\n
The most important thing is that I will no longer vote for the
\nsame political party that I did in the 1999 general elections. If
\nonly I knew then how that party would perform, I would not have
\nvoted for it.<\/p>\n
Indra Gunawan, 22, student: It was shameful! I did not watch
\nthe day-to-day progress of the Annual Session because the
\nlegislators made a mockery of it by their actions.<\/p>\n
They exhibited neither professionalism nor democratic examples
\nto the people. I am just not enthusiastic enough to comment on
\nit.<\/p>\n
The Assembly promised to be more responsive to the will of the
\ncitizenry, but it did not honor that commitment.<\/p>\n
Muniri, retired state official: I do not have many to
\ncomments. I think one thing that tarnished the Annual Session was
\nthe scuffling on the first day.<\/p>\n
Well, I was too busy to watch TV coverage of the Annual
\nSession. I had to attend to my kiosk. My customers did not talk
\nabout the session either.<\/p>\n
Ando Sibarr, 30, employee: Truly, I am tired of seeing the way
\nthis country is managed. When I was at college, there were many
\nprotests staged against the government. Similar protests are also
\noften staged now. I am tired. Nothing more to say.<\/p>\n
The Annual Session was only a theater for white-collar thieves
\nand hoodlums. They have spent taxpayer money, but the result is
\nnothing. Our economy and politics are deteriorating and the
\nquality of life for average people is declining.<\/p>\n
I am disappointed also because one of the political parties
\ninvolved in the fight was the one I chose.<\/p>\n
Supardi, a resident of Karet Tengsin area, Central Jakarta: I
\nrarely watched the Annual Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly.<\/p>\n
I didn't really understand what members of the Assembly were
\ntalking about. I only watched with interest when they pushed each
\nother around on the first day of the session.<\/p>\n
I agree that the Assembly should have been liquidated or, at
\nthe very least, those involved in the brawl should have been
\ndismissed. It is not as if they do anything useful for the
\ncommunity anyway.<\/p>\n
It would have been more useful if they had used the costs of
\nthe session and donated it to the hundreds of fire victims in our
\narea who badly need shelter.<\/p>\n
Tono, an ojek driver: The Assembly should have been disbanded
\nas it is just an extra cost for the taxpayer. The money for the
\nsession could have been used to create jobs.<\/p>\n
I didn't watch the sessions, except for the brawl among
\nlegislators.<\/p>\n
Andarini Iswari, 37, a housewife in Bulak Rantai, East
\nJakarta: I am not aware of the result of the MPR gathering. I
\nknew the MPR members were meeting but I didn't really follow its
\ndevelopment. I liked following the country's political issues
\nwhen former president Abdurrahman Wahid was still in power
\nbecause of the controversy he caused. Now, political issues are
\nlike in the past, under Soeharto's administration, just boring
\nand of little relevance to people's lives.<\/p>\n
Yati, a housewife in Kebon Sayur area, Central Jakarta: I am
\nwas not interested in the session, except for the brawl among the
\nlegislators.<\/p>\n
It's more interesting to watch a soap opera. I didn't
\nunderstand what the legislators were talking about anyway. For
\nme, I really don't care whether the Assembly is liquidated or
\nnot.<\/p>\n
Margiyanti Suwanto, 42, housewife in Galaksi housing compound
\nin Bekasi: The results of the Annual Session? You are the
\njournalist, don't ask me! That kind of stuff is not really the
\nconcern of a housewife. Get serious, I think none of us here know
\nwhat the results of the session are. I just know about it from
\ntelevision. I watched it once but after that I thought I'd rather
\nwatch other programs, which were entertaining. Maybe, those
\nmeetings were useful but I just didn't understand them.<\/p>",
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