House forced to vote on speaker<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The new House of Representative was forced to
\nvote to elect its speaker on Tuesday following an acrimonious
\ndebate over technicalities.<\/p>\n
The debate, which went beyond midnight, surfaced when Crescent
\nStar Party (PBB) legislator Hartono Mardjono protested the result
\nof a consultative meeting which unanimously appointed Golkar
\nchairman Akbar Tandjung to the House's top post.<\/p>\n
Citing the House's internal rules, Hartono said the decision
\nwas not binding because the rules grant individual House
\nlegislators the right to vote.<\/p>\n
\"We must stick to the rules. A decision must be overruled even
\nif a single member objects to it,\" Hartono said. \"Such a
\nconsensus could be pregnant with manipulation and no one can be
\nforced to accept it.\"<\/p>\n
He said deliberations to reach a consensus was a legacy of
\nSoeharto's New Order regime, which was no longer compatible with
\nthe democratic ideals of the ongoing reform movement.<\/p>\n
He protested the election, which was limited to faction
\nrepresentatives instead of involving all House members in
\nattendance.<\/p>\n
His objection came just after interim speaker Abdul Madjid
\npraised the result of the consultative meeting attended by
\nrepresentatives of the House's 10 factions.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot press for House members to accept the consensus, but
\nI warn you that nobody rejected my offer of a deliberation,\"
\nMadjid, who was named interim speaker because he is the senior
\nmember of the House, said.<\/p>\n
Golkar acceded to the vote to avoid giving the impression that
\nit had yet to make a break with its past. The party was a
\nfaithful supporter of long-time ruler Soeharto, who resigned in
\nMay last year following a wave of demonstrations.<\/p>\n
\"We can accept the vote to show our commitment to reform. It
\nwill not hurt our pride if our chairman takes a deputy speaker
\npost,\" the chief of the Golkar faction in the House, Syamsul
\nMuarif, said.<\/p>\n
He regretted the objection, however, after learning that large
\nparties like Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle approved the
\nconsensus to appoint Akbar to the speaker's post.<\/p>\n
Factions<\/p>\n
The new House endorsed earlier on Tuesday 10 factions which
\ncomprise political parties, coalitions of political parties and
\nthe Indonesian Military\/National Police.<\/p>\n
Five major parties -- the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), which has 153 seats in the House, the
\n120-strong Golkar Party, the 58-strong United Development Party
\n(PPP), the 51-strong National Awakening Party (PKB) and the 13-
\nmember Crescent Star Party (PBB) -- and the Love the Nation
\nDemocratic Party (PDKB), which has three seats in the House,
\nelected to form their own factions.<\/p>\n
The National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK),
\nwho have 41 seats in the House between them, joined forces in the
\nReform faction, while eight small nationalist and religious-
\noriented parties formed the Indonesian Unity and Awakening
\nfaction (FKKI). Five Muslim-based parties coalesced in the United
\nPeople's Sovereignty (FPDU) faction.<\/p>\n
The PDI Perjuangan faction named Dimyati Hartono its leader,
\nGolkar picked Syamsul Muarif, PPP appointed Rusydi Hamka, PBB
\nnamed Ahmad Seomargono, PKB named Muhaimin Iskandar, PDKB opted
\nfor Manase Malo, the Reform faction chose Hatta Rajasa, FKKI
\nselected Sutradara Gintings, FPDU appointed Ahmad Satari and the
\nIndonesian Military\/National Police faction chose Lt. Gen. Achmad
\nRoestandi.<\/p>\n
In the past, the House comprised only three factions,
\nrepresenting political parties which contested the general
\nelection plus the military faction.<\/p>\n
Only half of the 10 new factions were allowed to contest the
\npost of House speaker. The decision was made after hours of
\ndebate which forced back the schedule for the election of the
\nHouse speaker to around 10 p.m.<\/p>\n
Golkar deputy chairman Slamet Effendy Yusuf hinted that Akbar
\nTandjung might seek the presidency or vice presidency after
\ncontesting the House speaker post.<\/p>\n
\"His election as House speaker will not dash his opportunity
\nto run for the vice presidency, or even the presidency,\" Slamet
\nsaid as quoted by Antara on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The late Adam Malik was elected House speaker in October 1978
\nand was named vice president five months later.<\/p>\n
\"Theoretically, Akbar can still run for another post, for vice
\npresident or even president, for example,\" Slamet said.<\/p>\n
The Law on the Composition of Relationships of High State
\nInstitutions bars citizens from holding both executive and
\nlegislative posts.<\/p>\n
Akbar has been named Golkar's candidate for the vice
\npresidency, along with Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen.
\nWiranto, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, who is now a deputy chairman of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly, and Yogyakarta Governor
\nHamengkubuwono X.<\/p>\n
Golkar has made incumbent B.J. Habibie its sole presidential
\ncandidate. Party executives will gather next week to evaluate
\nHabibie's candidacy. (05\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-forced-to-vote-on-speaker-1447893297",
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