Legislators admit ignoring people's voices<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A number of legislators at the House of Representatives (DPR)
\nadmitted on Friday that they were not working for the interests
\nof people at large, but blamed their alienation on the electoral
\nsystem.<\/p>\n
\"The mechanism makes us like this. The proportional electoral
\nsystem allows political parties to fight for their short-term
\ninterests and that is very dominant in the country's political
\nlife,\" Arif Mudatsir of the United Development Party (PPP) said
\nhere on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"The proportional system, in which voters choose a party
\nsymbol, has alienated politicians from the people they
\nrepresent,\" Arif added.<\/p>\n
Fellow legislator Patrialis Akbar of the Reform Faction
\nconcurred, but added that they were always trying to maintain a
\nclose link with their constituents by visiting them during recess
\nperiods.<\/p>\n
\"We always visit our constituents during the recess period and
\nupon returning to Jakarta, we always convey their aspirations to
\nour faction,\" Patrialis said.<\/p>\n
The question of whom legislators in the House represent -- the
\npeople at large or their respective party -- has resurfaced
\nfollowing lawmakers' reluctance to set up a House inquiry team to
\ninvestigate House Speaker Akbar Tandjung despite mounting public
\npressure for them to do so.<\/p>\n
Their reluctance has led many people to conclude that the
\nlegislators were putting party interests over and above the
\nwelfare of the people they claim to represent.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who is also chairman of the Golkar Party, the second
\nbiggest faction in the House, has been declared a suspect in a Rp
\n54.6 billion financial scandal involving the State Logistics
\nAgency (Bulog).<\/p>\n
The sudden resignation of legislator Sophan Sophian of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) from
\nboth the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) has reinforced the perception that legislators
\nwere representatives of political parties and not of the people.<\/p>\n
Sophan said he tendered his resignation due to his
\ndisillusionment with fellow legislators who were more interested
\nin fighting for their own short-term political interests than for
\nthe welfare of the people.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan legislators have reportedly been coerced into
\nsigning a written statement declaring their allegiance to the
\nparty line on corruption allegations against House Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung.<\/p>\n
\"We were forced to sign in a statement requiring faction
\nmembers to follow the policy of the executive board. But I will
\nalways defend the truth,\" PDI Perjuangan legislator Aberson Marle
\nSihaloho said recently.<\/p>\n
According to Arif, not every visit to the regions allows time
\nfor legislators to meet their constituents.<\/p>\n
\"The recess period should be extended to give longer time for
\nlegislators to talk to their constituents,\" Arif said.<\/p>\n
During each recess period, legislators usually spend two or
\nthree days meeting with constituents. Arif said the time was too
\nshort to understand the aspirations of the local people.<\/p>\n
But, even if legislators had more time to meet their
\nconstituents, it would not necessarily mean that the legislators
\nwere representing the people since most of them adhered to
\npolicies outlined by the party's executive board.<\/p>\n
Legislator Engelina Pattiasina of PDI Perjuangan suggested
\nthat all legislators should improve their common sense and defend
\nthe interests of the people.<\/p>\n
\"We have to think about how to improve the people's welfare,\"
\nsaid Engelina, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Director of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro)
\nHadar N. Gumay, who also spoke at the discussion, said he hoped
\nthe 2004 election would use a district electoral system that
\nwould enable the constituents and political leaders to have
\ncloser relations.<\/p>\n
He said several opinion polls had shown that legislators
\nignored the interests of the people.<\/p>\n
\"This is the time to use a district electoral system. With the
\nnew system, legislators will be more accountable,\" he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-admit-ignoring-peoples-voices-1447893297",
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