MPR body commits to clean governance<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Factions in the Ad Hoc Committee II of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) have all endorsed the draft
\nspecial decree on the eradication of corruption, collusion and
\nnepotism.<\/p>\n
The chairman, Widodo A.S., said the committee realized that
\nformer president Soeharto's 32-year rule was marked by rampant
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism, and said \"such practices must
\nbe ended so the next government can start with a clean slate.\"<\/p>\n
\"All factions are of the same opinion that all forms of
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism must be eradicated and that
\nthe next government must be free from such practices,\" he said
\nhere on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The draft decree was proposed by the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI) faction and has won the support of the other factions
\nin the committee, he said.<\/p>\n
\"All (five MPR) factions have been accommodating public
\naspirations in this era of reform and acknowledge that such
\npractices have caused the people to suffer,\" he said, adding that
\nthe issue of clean governance would be addressed in a special
\ndecree.<\/p>\n
Ekky Syachruddin of the Golkar faction said that all state
\ninstitutions, including the House of Representatives (DPR), the
\nSupreme Court and the Supreme Audit Agency should improve
\nsupervisory systems in order to help eliminate corruption.<\/p>\n
Widodo said the committee has also agreed to a proposed decree
\non human rights protection. \"Such a decree is urgently needed
\nbecause of rampant violations of human rights in the past,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said his committee had agreed to revoke the current State
\nPolicy Guidelines and replace them with what he called the
\nGuidelines of Development Reform. The latter, he said, would
\nprevail from the MPR special session beginning on Nov. 10 until
\nthe next General Session of the MPR in December 1999.<\/p>\n
\"The new document is expected to be far thinner than the
\ncurrent guidelines and will outline a one year program of reform
\nin political, economic and cultural spheres,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Golkar's Fadel Muhammad said his faction would propose that
\nthe new guidelines include details of a new economic system under
\nwhich indigenous businesspeople are granted special privileges.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Assembly's Ad Hoc Committee I
\nended in deadlock after a discussion of draft decrees on former
\npresident Soeharto's accountability and on the investigation into
\nhis wealth and his family's fortune.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces (ABRI), Golkar and Regional Representatives
\nfactions were against the draft decrees on the two matters
\nproposed by the PDI and United Development Party (PPP) factions.<\/p>\n
It was the second time the committee's meetings have ended in
\ndeadlock. The first was when the committee failed to reach
\nagreement on a draft decree proposing the separation of the MPR
\nand DPR's leadership on Monday.<\/p>\n
Golkar, ABRI and the Regional Representatives factions agreed
\nthat Soeharto should be made to provide an account of his two-
\nmonths in office from March 11 until May 21, 1998, but said it
\nwould be enough for Soeharto to write a speech to be read out by
\nPresident B.J. Habibie during the special session.<\/p>\n
However, Ismunandar of the PDI faction said Soeharto himself
\nshould deliver his accountability speech.<\/p>\n
He said that Soeharto should be held responsible for incidents
\nthat occurred between March 11 and May 21.<\/p>\n
Incidents during that period include the shooting of four
\nTrisakti University students on May 14, the subsequent wave of
\nriots that engulfed the country, and the week-long student
\noccupation of the MPR\/DPR building in the same month.<\/p>\n
He said the MPR should also pass a decree ordering Habibie's
\ngovernment to investigate the wealth of Soeharto, his cronies and
\nall officials suspected of involvement in corrupt activities
\nduring Soeharto's 32-year administration.<\/p>\n
Chozin Chumaidy of the PPP faction said that Soeharto should
\ndeliver an accountability speech during the special session
\nbecause it was required by the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
He said his faction was of the opinion that Soeharto's
\nresignation was unconstitutional because it did not take place
\nbefore a MPR session or the Supreme Court. (rms)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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