House should learn from criticisms<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR)
\nWahono appealed to members yesterday to carry out self-examination
\nin the face of mounting criticisms about its role in Indonesia's
\ndemocracy.<\/p>\n
During a plenary session, Wahono reminded the 500-member
\ninstitution that the House has been widely criticized in the past
\nconcerning its effectiveness in representing the people's
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
\"We should accept all criticisms, suggestions and aspirations
\nof the people sent to the House with a clear mind and open arms
\nso that we can really see our own shortcomings and then strive to
\nmake amends,\" he said in a speech marking the 49th anniversary of
\nthe House and of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which
\nhe also chairs.<\/p>\n
The House has often been portrayed as of being merely a
\ngovernment's rubber-stamp agency, specially given that it has
\nnever initiated its own legislation. All the laws have been
\ndrafted by the government and virtually all were passed by the
\nHouse with little change, although one or two were subjected to
\nstiff debate.<\/p>\n
Wahono however defended the House's record, at least since he
\nhas been at the helm since 1992.<\/p>\n
\"The House has tried its best to accommodate and channel the
\npeople's wishes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As examples of the House's recent successes, he cited the
\nabolition of the state lottery SDSB last November and the first
\npublic disclosure of the Rp 1.3 trillion ($620 million) loan
\nscandal at Bapindo, a government bank, early this year.<\/p>\n
He also said that the rising number of people who are turning
\nto the DPR to air their complaints and grievances reflect the
\nincreasing confidence they put in the institution.<\/p>\n
He said DPR could only channel the people's aspirations and
\nthat a lot depends on how the executive branch responds.
\n\"However, the House is truly committed to accommodating the
\npeople's wishes because that is its constitutional task and
\nfunction.\"<\/p>\n
Its chief task is to exercise political control over the
\ngovernment's activity, and in this regard, it is the duty of the
\nHouse's commissions to scrutinize the government's agencies and
\nofficials, he said.<\/p>\n
Wahono also welcomes the proposal from the Supreme Audit
\nAgency (Bepeka) to present the report of its findings to the
\nHouse on a semester basis instead of yearly, which he said will
\nfurther facilitate the DPR's supervision task.<\/p>\n
\"This is a major improvement because the House will now be
\nable to obtain data and information earlier,\" he said.<\/p>\n
DPR\/MPR Secretary General Afif Ma'roef meanwhile in a speech
\nbefore the staff of the House's Secretariat said yesterday that
\nthe public is demanding a more effective role of both houses.<\/p>\n
\"Both MPR and DPR have made improvements but there is still
\ncriticism and we have to accept these to develop ourselves,\" Afif
\nsaid. (emb)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-should-learn-from-criticisms-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }