MPR factions still undecided over regional representatives<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Party factions in the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) remain undecided about a plan by 164 regional
\nrepresentatives to form their own faction at the upcoming MPR
\nAnnual Session.<\/p>\n
Golkar faction, according to its deputy chairman Slamet
\nEffendy Yusuf, said it would agree to the proposal with
\nreservations.<\/p>\n
\"Regional representatives should be bipartisan because they
\nwere nominated by political parties through the provincial
\nlegislative councils. On one hand they should form a separate
\nfaction to channel regional interests and on the other hand they
\nshould be allowed to fight for the interests of their respective
\npolitical parties,\" Slamet said here on Monday.<\/p>\n
He said Golkar did not fear losing political support from 62
\nregional representatives in its faction if the terms were
\naccepted in the Annual Session.<\/p>\n
Postdam Hutasoit of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, said his faction had no
\nobjections to the idea provided the Assembly's internal rulings
\nwere revised to accept the presence of a regional representative
\nfaction.<\/p>\n
But he reminded that the MPR decided in its latest General
\nSession last October to dissolve the regional representative
\nfaction at the proposal of its own members. Among the proponents
\nwere 31 regional representatives who joined PDI Perjuangan
\nfaction.<\/p>\n
\"It is already too late for the regional representatives to
\npromote their proposal to reestablish the faction because before
\nbeing proposed to the Assembly's Annual Session it should have
\nwon support from the Assembly Working Committee,\" Postdam said.<\/p>\n
Aisyah Amini of the United Development Party (PPP) faction
\nconcurred and said the present regional representatives were
\nactually representing political parties.<\/p>\n
\"PPP principally supports the presence of a separate regional
\nrepresentative faction at the Assembly but they should be
\nnonpartisan figures elected in a general election,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She said the 1999 law on the composition of MPR, House of
\nRepresentatives and Provincial and Regency Legislatures needs
\nrevising to make certain that regional representatives would be
\nselected from social leaders and figures who were not involved in
\npolitics or were members of political parties.<\/p>\n
Oesman Sapta, chairman of the Regional Representatives Forum
\n(FUD), said that the 164 regional representatives have agreed to
\nfight this year for the reestablishment of their faction at the
\nAssembly in line with the government's plan to implement regional
\nautonomy next year.<\/p>\n
\"We will fight it out at the Annual Session because we can do
\nnothing until 2004 without our own faction. We hope all factions
\nat the Assembly understand the urgency of a regional
\nrepresentative faction in line with the implementation of the
\nregional autonomy law next year,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He warned that troubles in several regions, including Aceh,
\nIrian Jaya, Maluku and Riau, are threatening the country's unity.<\/p>\n
\"The absence of comprehensive solutions to the problems have a
\npart to do with political parties' primary interests in the
\nlegislative bodies,\" he said, adding that the current
\nrepresentative system would remain unhealthy if regional
\naspirations were not accommodated by the legislative bodies.<\/p>\n
Harun Alrasid, a constitutional law expert from the University
\nof Indonesia, hailed the regional representatives' intentions to
\nreestablish their own faction at the Assembly, saying the faction
\nwas badly needed to channel regional aspirations.<\/p>\n
Indonesia should learn from the representative system in the
\nUnited States, Harun said. Although most regional representatives
\nbelong to political parties, some regions have elected
\nindependents with no political affiliation he said.<\/p>\n
He said the representative system in Indonesia should also
\nhave regional representatives and their own faction because
\nregions have unique problems, programs and interests that could
\nbe opposed by political parties. (rms)<\/p>",
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