MPR committee wraps up constitutional amendment<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly's ad hoc committee in
\ncharge of constitutional amendment (PAH I) endorsed on Thursday
\nthe final draft of changes to the 1945 Constitution and said it
\nwas ready to submit it to the MPR Annual Session for deliberation
\nand endorsement.<\/p>\n
The endorsement was taken in a plenary meeting of PAH I, led
\nby the committee chairman Jacob Tobing and attended by all the
\nfactions in the Assembly.<\/p>\n
The factions agreed to change 27 articles in the fourth
\nconstitutional amendment, though there was disagreement on some
\narticles, including the mechanism of presidential election.<\/p>\n
He said those articles would be discussed in next month's
\nAnnual Session.<\/p>\n
Jacob noted most factions had agreed the public would vote in
\nthe second round of a presidential election, which takes place if
\nno candidates for president\/vice president win a simple majority
\nvote. Only the top two pairs are eligible for the runoff.<\/p>\n
\"Formally, we have yet to achieve absolute agreement on that
\narticle, but I'm convinced it is just a matter of the factions'
\ninternal decision-making process,\" Jacob told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Jacob, a senior legislator from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said that 90 percent of the
\nfactions supported the idea of a presidential election except
\nrepresentatives of the Indonesian Military and National Police.<\/p>\n
\"They have scheduled an internal meeting with their leaders. I
\nbelieve they will agree with the idea. We will also be lobbying
\nduring the Annual Session,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The committee also retained two alternatives on another
\ncontentious article on the composition of the MPR.<\/p>\n
According to committee deputy chairman Slamet Effendy Yusuf of
\nthe Golkar Party, other non-conclusive articles include those on
\nthe monetary authority (the central bank), religion and the
\nnational education system.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, other articles have mostly been agreed upon, Slamet
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He added that most of the factions had also agreed to abolish
\nthe Supreme Advisory Board (DPA).<\/p>\n
\"We have agreed on a new advisory board,\" he said, but
\ndeclined to elaborate.<\/p>\n
The constitutional amendment draft from PAH I will be brought
\nup at the MPR's Annual Session in early August for further
\ndeliberation and approval.<\/p>\n
The Annual Session will also debate and approve four drafts of
\nMPR decrees prepared by the Assembly's PAH II on preparing
\ndecrees and regulations.<\/p>\n
PAH II chairman Rambe Kamarulzaman of the Golkar Party said in
\nPAH II's plenary session the draft decrees would include one on
\npolicy recommendations for national economic recovery.<\/p>\n
He added that the Annual Session would last 10 days, not 12
\ndays as initially scheduled.<\/p>\n
Reports have said the ten-day event will allegedly cost Rp
\n19.8 billion.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz
\nwill attend the entire session.<\/p>\n
Both are also scheduled to present their progress report
\nbefore legislators.<\/p>\n
Two most contentious articles of the fourth constitutional
\namendment package<\/p>\n
Article 2<\/p>\n
Alternative 1: MPR consists of members of the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council
\n(DPD) elected through general elections, plus interest groups
\nelected by the DPR as regulated further by law.<\/p>\n
Alternative 2: MPR consists of members of the DPR and the DPD
\nelected through general elections as regulated further by law.<\/p>\n
Article 6A:<\/p>\n
Alternative 1: In the event that no presidential and vice
\npresidential pair is elected, the MPR elects the president and
\nvice president from the two pairs of presidential and vice
\npresidential candidates gaining the most votes.<\/p>\n
Alternative 2: In the case of no presidential and vice
\npresidential pair being elected, the people will directly elect
\nthe president and vice president from the two pairs of the
\npresidential and vice presidential candidates gaining the most
\nvotes in this election is officially declared president and vice
\npresident.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mpr-committee-wraps-up-constitutional-amendment-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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