'House lacks priority in bill deliberation'<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The lack of priority in bill deliberations by the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) has resulted in the endorsement of only a
\nfew bills, most of which suffers a number of shortcomings and
\nwill thus be subject to further debate, a legal affairs watchdog
\nsays.<\/p>\n
Worse still, the deliberation of bills has become the battle
\nground for political parties to further their own short-term
\ninterests, instead of the interests of the people.<\/p>\n
The Center for Law and Policy Study (PSHK) said recently in a
\nstatement that during the first half of this year, the House was
\ntoo busy with political wranglings between factions to pursue
\ntheir own interests, as was evident in the Sukhoi probe and the
\nhorse trading that marred the deliberation of the presidential
\nelection bill.<\/p>\n
It also said the lack of priority had thus made the House
\nsusceptible to following agendas brought forth by interested
\nparties.<\/p>\n
PSHK Executive Director Bivitri Susanti said the House had no
\nsuch thing as a priority list, and instead had only a to-do list
\nfor short-term objectives.<\/p>\n
\"It indicates that the House has no integrated view on the
\nimprovement of the country's legal system,\" she said at a seminar
\nhere.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said earlier that due to an
\nobligation to fight for their own constituents, it was impossible
\nfor factions and legislators to put aside their political
\ninterests in deliberating bills.<\/p>\n
Bivitri said at times, the House and in particular, the
\ngovernment, were subject to foreign interference in the
\ndeliberation of bills.<\/p>\n
\"It is very clear that strong pressure from certain countries
\nand powerful financial organizations were involved in the
\ndeliberation of the bills on intellectual property rights and
\nmoney laundering,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The U.S. government had put pressure on Indonesia over the
\nwidespread infringement of intellectual property rights. It had
\nalso considered imposing economic sanctions on the country if it
\nfailed to curb the unchecked piracy.<\/p>\n
The government also moved quickly to revise Law No. 15\/2002 on
\nmoney laundering to meet the Sept. 30 deadline set by the
\nEuropean Union-backed Financial Action Task Force on Money
\nLaundering.<\/p>\n
The same holds true for the Antiterrorism Law, which was
\ndrafted while the Indonesian government was riding on the
\ncoattails of the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism.<\/p>\n
The House has frequently been under fire for its sluggishness
\nin producing laws, always missing its legislation target since
\nJan. 2002.<\/p>\n
Of the targeted 41 bills in the April-July 2003 session, the
\nHouse only endorsed five bills. Legislators and the government
\nhad to work while in recess to meet the deadline for the
\nestablishment of the Constitutional Court.<\/p>\n
Among the bills to be finished during the current session --
\nfrom Aug. 15 to Sept. 26 -- are bills on Batam's free trade and
\nopen port, agriculture, medical professionals, the protection of
\noverseas workers and sports.<\/p>\n
Didi Supriyanto, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, offered the excuse
\nthat the poor legislation record was due to the lack of resources
\nat the House's disposal.<\/p>\n
\"Only 20 percent of House members have adequate legislative
\nskills. And some of them work on two or three special committees
\nto deliberate bills,\" he said, and that 80 percent of legislators
\nof Commission II on legal affairs were also members of several
\nspecial committees.<\/p>\n
He also said the House Legislation Body was not provided with
\nenough expert staff to help with the legal drafting, while
\nblaming the government for its tardiness in appointing relevant
\nministers to deliberate House bills.<\/p>",
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