House falls behind schedule in bill deliberations<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Yogita Tahilramani, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The people are not likely to benefit from some of the important
\nnew laws as only a few of the bills being deliberated upon by the
\nHouse of Representatives will be passed.<\/p>\n
Legislators said on Monday that political rivalries were
\namong the obstacles to the passage of the 24 bills slated to be
\ndeliberated upon in the current fourth session of the House.<\/p>\n
Legislator Firman Jaya Daeli of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said it would be impossible
\nfor legislators to complete their deliberations on the bills by
\nthe end of the session on July 19.<\/p>\n
Discussions for the bills on the presidency, electricity,
\nnational education, the commission for eradication of corruption,
\nstate finance and state treasury began on May 13.<\/p>\n
Firman cited a host of reasons for the low output including
\nabsenteeism, time constraints in making alterations to the bills
\nand disagreements amongst legislators as well as between the
\ngovernment and legislators.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes we are ready, the material is ready but the
\ngovernment is not ready.\" Firman told The Jakarta Post, and added
\nthat, \"the committee meetings are often delayed because very few
\nmembers show up.\"<\/p>\n
He predicted that only about five of 24 bills would likely be
\npassed, namely the bills on a national system of science and
\ntechnology, electricity, commission for eradication of
\ncorruption, property rights and child protection.<\/p>\n
Political analyst Arbi Sanit said the House's sluggishness
\nwas a serious disservice to the public.<\/p>\n
He believed those bills which should have been given top
\npriority, such as the freedom to obtain public information bill,
\nhad not been touched.<\/p>\n
Two bills, which many believe should have been given top
\npriority -- the political party bill and the election bill --
\nwere only submitted a few weeks ago and the inquiry committees to
\ndeliberate upon them will not be set up until July 1.<\/p>\n
Firman dismissed speculation of a delaying tactic on the part
\nof legislators.<\/p>\n
\"It is not that legislators do not follow the agenda or do not
\nwant to meet the deadline on purpose,\" Firman said.<\/p>\n
Director for the Center of Electoral Reform (Cetro) Hadar N.
\nGumay said the House members were too busy with their personal
\nbusiness as most regard their main jobs as additional work.<\/p>\n
He added that the House had, in past sessions, failed to
\ndeliberate upon three important bills on politics, namely the
\nelectoral bill, the political party bill and the bill on the
\nformation and position of the House and the People's Legislative
\nAssembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
He predicted that the House would only start debating the
\npolitical bills after the MPR Annual Session in August and finish
\nthe debate at the end of 2002, giving only a very short time to
\nprepare for the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
\"Thus, we can't expect a strong general election in 2004,\"
\nHadar said.<\/p>\n
Political parties should punish their members who were
\nreluctant to carry out their legislative duties by cutting
\nsalaries, he said.<\/p>",
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