Ministers bypass Mega in bill discussions<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Several Cabinet ministers bypassed President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri when deliberating a number of bills that already
\nhad been endorsed by the House of Representatives, State
\nSecretary\/Cabinet Secretary Bambang Kesowo said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a hearing with House Commission I for legal
\naffairs, Bambang said being bypassed prompted Megawati not to
\nsign the bills into law.<\/p>\n
At least three bills have been passed into law without being
\nsigned by the President. These were the bill on state finance,
\nthe broadcasting bill and the bill on Riau province.<\/p>\n
According to existing regulations, a bill automatically
\nbecomes law 30 days after the House endorses it, whether it has
\nbeen signed by the president.<\/p>\n
Despite her refusal to sign the bills, the President is still
\nresponsible for their implementation.<\/p>\n
Bambang said Megawati was annoyed with certain ministers who
\ndecided on critical issues in the laws without first consulting
\nwith her.<\/p>\n
Prevailing laws stipulate that president assigns relevant
\nministers to deliberate bills along with the House. The ministers
\nare supposed to consult with the president on crucial issues
\nwithin the bills.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that last April 10, a Cabinet meeting was held to
\nwarn ministers to be more disciplined in deliberating bills with
\nlegislators.<\/p>\n
According to Bambang, some of the articles in the laws not
\nsigned by the President would be difficult to implement.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, Bambang said the law on state finance
\nmandated the finance ministry to draw up the government's routine
\nand developmental budgets.<\/p>\n
This stipulation provoked criticism as soon as the law was
\nendorsed. The main critic has been the National Development
\nPlanning Board (Bappenas), which has asked if the new role for
\nthe finance ministry would mean the dissolution of Bappenas,
\nwhich in the past has drawn up the developmental budget.<\/p>\n
\"This situation shows the poor coordination among Cabinet
\nministers. That is why the President warned the ministers on
\nApril 10,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
A lack of coordination among Cabinet ministers also resulted
\nin the endorsement of a forestry law that bans mining activities
\nin forested areas, despite the fact that about 42 mining
\ncompanies have licenses from the energy and mineral resources
\nministry to operate in forested areas.<\/p>\n
The State Secretariat emphasized that legislators must not
\nattempt to increase the power of certain ministries through
\nlegislation, because that authority lies in the hands of the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
Bambang said increasing the power of a ministry would not
\nbenefit the government, and would only create more of a burden
\nfor the President.<\/p>\n
In response to Bambang's statements, some of the Commission I
\nlegislators said a lack of coordination among ministers reflected
\nthe poor performance of President Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot tolerate this situation because it costs too much,\"
\nsaid Happy Bone Zulkarnain of the Golkar faction.<\/p>\n
Rizal Djalil of the Reform faction and Zoelvan Lindan of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which
\nis chaired by Megawati, said that the situation demonstrated a
\ncrisis of leadership.<\/p>\n
Also, Bambang Kesowo said the government had prepared 20 bills
\nto discuss with legislators.<\/p>\n
The bills have been drafted by various ministries. The finance
\nministry has drafted eight bills, the justice and human rights
\nministry five bills, the manpower and transmigration ministry one
\nbill, the settlement and infrastructure ministry one bill, the
\nhome ministry two bills, the communications and information
\nministry one bill, the economy ministry one bill and the State
\nSecretariat one bill.<\/p>\n
Bambang also said the government had received 27 bills from
\nthe House for further discussion.<\/p>",
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