MPR ends its session and avows failure<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 10-day People's Consultative Assembly Annual
\nSession ended on Friday afternoon producing 10 decrees and
\nseveral constitutional amendments, but fell far short of tackling
\nmuch of the nation's pressing problems.<\/p>\n
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais openly acknowledged the failure of
\nthe first ever Annual Session to solve many major challenges due
\nto the complexity of the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"We do not have an Aladdin's lamp to overcome the problems
\ninstantly,\" Amien said after closing the session, which was also
\nattended by both President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Amien noted the nation's high expectation of the Assembly as
\nmany believed it could help them overcome the economic crisis and
\nthreat of disintegration.<\/p>\n
They also expected the revival of economic activities, the
\nenforcement of law and reaffirmation of the nation's unity, Amien
\nnoted.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, let us work together to uphold social and
\npolitical justice, justice in the economy and law and equality in
\nthe education sector, especially in Aceh and Irian Jaya. We hope
\nthat violence will stop in the two provinces,\" Amien said in his
\nofficial closing remarks.<\/p>\n
Citing the words of Megawati's father, Sukarno, the country's
\nfirst president, the speaker said: \"During this critical moment,
\nlet us remember Bung Karno's teaching about the nationalism of
\nIndonesia\".<\/p>\n
Departing from previous traditions, where a prayer at a
\nclosing ceremony is read by a senior government official or an
\nulema, Amien led the prayer as part of his speech.<\/p>\n
While the economic crisis and unabated violence in places like
\nMaluku grabbed a few precious moments in the proceedings, one
\nsignificant outcome of the session was a statement from President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid to hand over much of the day-to-day running of
\nthe government to Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
The statement came as the President responded to the faction's
\nstrong reply to his progress report.<\/p>\n
In a symbolic gesture, the President, accompanied by the Vice
\nPresident along with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) Satrio Billy
\nJoedono, acting Chief Justice Ketut Suraputra, Supreme Advisory
\nCouncil Achmad Tirtosudiro and House of Representatives Speaker
\nAkbar Tandjung, each received a copy of Assembly Decree No.
\nVIII\/2000, which summarized and made recommendations concerning
\ntheir individual reports.<\/p>\n
The decree, among other things, instructed the President to
\nissue a presidential decree that would specifically outline the
\nadded duties of the Vice President.<\/p>\n
The President did not make any comments after receiving the
\ncopy of the decree.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the morning, the 11 factions in the Assembly
\nunanimously agreed to endorse the 10 Assembly decrees and
\nconstitutional amendments on seven chapters in a 20-minute
\nsession.<\/p>\n
But the brief morning session was not without drama.<\/p>\n
Two legislators, Hartono Mardjono of the Crescent Star faction
\nand Ghazali Abas Adan from the United Development Party (PPP)
\nfaction, protested the Assembly's decision to maintain the
\npresence of the Indonesian Military (TNI)\/National Police in the
\nAssembly until 2009.<\/p>\n
They demanded the Assembly be free of nonelected TNI\/police
\nrepresentatives by 2004, the year in which the Assembly last year
\nhad decided to vacate the TNI\/police seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
\"In maintaining the dignity of the Assembly as the country's
\nhighest institution in carrying out the nation's mandate, and
\nespecially the dignity of student and reform fighters, I demand
\nthe presence of the TNI\/police end in 2004,\" Hartono said.<\/p>\n
Ghazali, who represents Aceh in his faction, where a decade-
\nlong military operation has claimed thousands of victims, also
\npointed out the large segment of society who reject the military
\npresence.<\/p>\n
Waste<\/p>\n
The wave of dissatisfaction over the overall work of the
\nAssembly was also acknowledged by Golkar Party chairman Akbar
\nTandjung, who said it was too much of a waste of the Rp 25.7
\nbillion allocated.<\/p>\n
\"People's complaints about the cost are quite proper, and we
\nhope next year's Annual Session will be more efficient and
\neffective,\" Akbar disclosed in a media briefing.<\/p>\n
In the morning's plenary session, Reform faction member A.M.
\nFatwa also raised concern over the costly session.<\/p>\n
Fatwa insisted members of the 700-strong Assembly who reside
\nin Jakarta did not need to be given hotel rooms.<\/p>\n
\"I suggest, especially to the 500 House members, not to stay
\nin hotels because the state has already provided housing and
\nvehicles for them,\" Fatwa said.<\/p>\n
\"I see nothing significant in the results of the session,\"
\nFatwa added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, questions about two outspoken legislators from
\nGolkar, Ekky Syahrudin and Priyo Budi Santoso, were publicly
\naired during Golkar's news conference on Friday.<\/p>\n
A journalist asked Akbar to comment on the rumors among
\nAssembly members that the usually vocal Ekky and Priyo suddenly
\nbecame quiet after recently meeting with the President.<\/p>\n
\"No, they are working hard as usual,\" Akbar responded.<\/p>\n
Rumors are rife in the Assembly that the two usually critical
\nlegislators suddenly toned down their views after meeting
\nrecently with Abdurrahman this week.<\/p>\n
Ekky and Priyo admitted they had heard about the rumors and
\neven confirmed their recent meeting with the President.<\/p>\n
\"(But) Gus Dur is my long-time friend, there's nothing special
\nabout me meeting him,\" Ekky said, referring to Abdurrahman.
\n(rms\/dja\/jun\/prb)<\/p>",
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