House resumes session with heavy workload<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After a two-month recess, members of the House of
\nRepresentatives are scheduled to reconvene on Monday to resume
\ntheir workload, including the deliberation of contentious bills.<\/p>\n
Of the targeted 53 bills from the past legislative session,
\nthe House endorsed only 18 of them. This means there are at least
\n35 bills waiting to be discussed during this current session.<\/p>\n
Legislators will also continue the debate of the much-awaited
\nbills on direct presidential and vice presidential elections and
\nthe composition of legislative bodies.<\/p>\n
Other unfinished business includes the selection of Bank
\nIndonesia governor through a fit-and-proper test on three
\ncandidates proposed by the President.<\/p>\n
The candidates are Miranda S. Goeltom, Cyrilius Harinowo and
\nBurhanuddin Abdullah, who are among BI's top brass.<\/p>\n
A member of the House's legislative body, Baharuddin
\nAritonang, said on Sunday that the House would focus its
\nattention on the Aceh problem during the plenary meeting, which
\nmarks the beginning of the sitting period.<\/p>\n
\"Possibly, a number of legislators will demand more attention
\nbe given to the latest developments in Aceh,\" Aritonang said,
\nreferring to the possibility of the peace agreement, signed by
\nthe government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group, breaking
\ndown.<\/p>\n
Coincidentally, the Cabinet will also decide measures to
\nrespond to the failed peace talks on Aceh.<\/p>\n
The plenary House meeting will hear an opening speech by House
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung and letters from the government and
\nproposals from legislators. Interruptions had marred previous
\nmeetings presided by Akbar, in which legislators questioned
\nAkbar's appropriateness due to his conviction in a graft case.<\/p>\n
Criticism has been rife against the House's poor performance
\nin legislative activities. Backroom deals among the House's
\nfactions and poor discipline of legislators were to blame for the
\nlegislative body being unable to meet its target, not to mention
\nits failure to produce quality, long-standing legislations.<\/p>\n
On average, the House finishes less than 10 percent of the
\ntargeted bills during a sitting period.<\/p>\n
Many of the bills were deliberated amid poor attendance of
\nlegislators, raising doubts of their validity.<\/p>\n
However, legislators said they were absent from deliberation
\nof certain bills to take part in the debate of other bills.<\/p>\n
Currently, the House's legislative body is preparing a draft
\nof amendments to the House's internal regulations, including a
\nrevision of the mechanism of legislation, which will require the
\nphysical presence of House members during a session to endorse a
\nbill.<\/p>\n
The House, to some extent, deserves credit for its
\nparticipation in the national drive against corruption.<\/p>\n
It formed a special committee tasked with the investigation
\ninto alleged graft in state oil firm Pertamina. The team
\nimplicated a number of cronies of former president Soeharto,
\nincluding the current People's Consultative Assembly deputy
\nspeaker, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, who was a minister under
\nSoeharto's long-time rule. The committee also asked the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office to conduct a formal investigation into the graft
\ncases, a call which remains unanswered.<\/p>\n
List of bills for further deliberation: Direct presidential
\nelection, Composition of legislative bodies, Freedom of information,
\nAmendments to Bank Indonesia Law, State treasury, State finance
\naccountability, Mechanism of legislation enactment, Terrorism
\neradication, National education system, Industrial dispute
\nsettlement, Bankruptcy, Attorneys, Migrant workers protection,
\nBatam free trade area, Postal affairs, Formation of West Sulawesi
\nprovince, Fishery, Agriculture, Witness protection, Race
\ndiscrimination eradication, Supreme Court, State administrative court,
\nGeneral court, Jakarta administration, Judicial commission,
\nConstitutional court, Ombudsman, Presidency, Sports, Geothermal,
\nBank liquidation, Justice authorities, Medical practice,
\nEstablishment of some regencies.<\/p>",
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