Legislators divided from the people they 'represent'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) has failed to
\nlive up to its name, some legislators say.<\/p>\n
The legislators admit they are no longer close to the people
\nas a whole or their constituents, a result, they said, of the
\ndominant role played by their respective political parties in the
\ndecision-making process in the House.<\/p>\n
Mochtar Buchori, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), conceded he was no longer
\nactive in the House because of his work as a lecturer and author.
\nHe said he did not consider the House to be a state institution
\nthat represented the people's aspirations.<\/p>\n
He said he did not feel at home in the House because the
\nmajority of legislators went beyond the Constitution in carrying
\nout the legislative duties.<\/p>\n
\"The majority of legislators are no longer aware of their
\nstatus and the major problems facing the nation. They prefer
\npoliticking to channeling the people's aspirations. Of course, we
\nare representing our own political parties, but our purpose in
\nthe House is to represent the people, for which we are paid,\" he
\nsaid recently.<\/p>\n
Mochtar said he would resign from the House if there were no
\nchanges in the legislative body within the next three months.<\/p>\n
He said he would be happy to leave the House and concentrate
\non his work as a lecturer and newspaper columnist.<\/p>\n
\"I am now writing three books and The Jakarta Post has pledged
\nto sponsor their launching,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Aberson Marle Sihaloho, Mochtar's outspoken PDI Perjuangan
\ncolleague, said he frequently had differences of opinion on
\nnumerous matters and issues with his faction and party.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, we sit in the House through the party that won a
\nmajor victory in the last general election, but the party,
\nincluding its chairperson and executive board, should bear in
\nmind that we are here to represent the people and channel their
\npolitical aspirations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the House's recent investigation into the two
\nfinancial scandals allegedly linked to the President, he said a
\nnumber of PDI Perjuangan legislators who protested the probe were
\nforced to accept it because of the party's policy.<\/p>\n
\"Legislators should be allowed to have a different stance on
\nthe investigation because the investigation was proposed not by
\nthe party but by legislators who have inquiry rights,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Aberson also regretted PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's recent attack on party legislators seen as being
\ndisloyal.<\/p>\n
He said the dominating role played by parties in the House
\ncontributed to the body's tarnished image, the heated political
\nsituation and to the House's absence of serious attention to
\nnumerous major problems, including the economic crisis, political
\ninstability and conflicts in several provinces.<\/p>\n
Megawati, in a meeting with more than 4,000 legislators from
\nacross the nation here last month, slammed a number of
\nlegislators who acted beyond the party's policies, and imposed
\nadministrative sanctions against several others.<\/p>\n
Aberson said any division between legislators and their
\nparties could be avoided only if parties' political platforms
\nwere in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and the
\ndistrict system was implemented in the next general election.<\/p>\n
He said he was certain legislators would not act outside of
\ntheir parties' policies if these policies agreed with the
\nConstitution and the law.<\/p>\n
He also said the domination of parties could be reduced if the
\ndistrict system was implemented in general elections, because
\nunder this system, legislators would have a moral obligation to
\nfight for their constituents' political aspirations and their
\nactivities would be controlled.<\/p>\n
Habil Marati, a legislator form the United Development Party
\n(PPP), said he was of the opinion that the tension between the
\nHouse and the executive body had a lot to do with the House's
\nfailure to pay serious attention to the true condition and needs
\nof the people.<\/p>\n
He said the House was busy with political issues and engaged
\nin a tug-of-war over a fair division of power, as seen in the
\ninvestigation into the two financial scandals and the polemic on
\nthe dismissal of two former economic ministers.<\/p>\n
He said many people were confused by the House's recent
\ncensure of the President for his alleged involvement in the
\nfinancial scandals.<\/p>\n
\"If the factions stuck to the Constitution, a memorandum (of
\ncensure) could be issued only if the President was found guilty
\n(by the courts) of the scandals,\" he said, adding that he and his
\nfaction had a difference of opinion over the results of the
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
He said his faction recalled him from the special committee
\nthat investigated the scandals in response to his criticism of
\nthe committee's bias in carrying out its investigation. (rms)<\/p>",
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