MPR unlikely to complete amendment drafts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) looks
\ncertain to delay its overhaul of the 1945 Constitution after
\nCommission A, assigned with deliberating the amendments, reached
\nagreements on only 23 of 79 draft articles at the end of Monday.<\/p>\n
Many considered the draft articles, approved by
\nrepresentatives of factions in the commission, to be
\ninsignificant.<\/p>\n
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais acknowledged that the 12-day
\nAnnual Session would not be enough to complete the deliberation
\nof all the amendment proposals to the Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"We might agree to postpone the amendment of several sensitive
\narticles,\" Amien, who also chairs the National Mandate Party
\n(PAN), said.<\/p>\n
Until Monday evening, the commission had not started
\ndiscussing proposed chapters on the Assembly (three articles),
\nthe state's administrative authorities (14 articles), the general
\nelection (one article) and state ministries (one article).<\/p>\n
Drafts of amendments which are difficult to approve include
\ntwo articles on the establishment of the House of Regional
\nRepresentatives (DPD).<\/p>\n
Article 29 on religion, proposed by the United Development
\nParty (PPP), which inserts an obligation to conduct Islamic law
\n(syariah), has not been discussed by the commission so far.<\/p>\n
Amien acknowledged that article 29 was among the articles that
\nwill not be changed, but added that PPP had the right to propose
\nthe amendment.<\/p>\n
\"That is what democracy is about. But believe me the article
\nwill not be changed,\" he told on Monday a group of demonstrators,
\nwho were demanding the Assembly maintain the wording of the
\narticle.<\/p>\n
The commission has approved five proposed chapters (23
\narticles), including chapters on the House of Representatives,
\nnational attributes, territory, citizenship and human rights.<\/p>\n
After a fierce debate and long lobby, all 11 factions approved
\narticle 28 J in the chapter on religion, which states rights and
\nobligations, such as people should obey the law based on moral
\nand religious values.<\/p>\n
The addition of \"religious values\", which was suggested by the
\nReform faction, was earlier rejected by the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Indonesian Military
\n(TNI)\/Police factions.<\/p>\n
\"We were ready to physically fight for our proposal,\"
\nlegislator Joko Susilo from the Reform Faction told reporters.<\/p>\n
Joko said his faction's proposal was aimed at protecting the
\nimplementation of human rights, which, he said, violated
\nreligious values, such as homosexuality.<\/p>\n
The proposal was supported by the United Development Party
\n(PPP), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), Golkar Party and later by
\nthe National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Love Democratic Nation
\nParty (PDKB) factions.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan rejected the proposal since religious issues
\nwere already discussed in a different chapter.<\/p>\n
The TNI\/Police faction questioned the proposal, saying it had
\nnot been discussed in earlier meetings.<\/p>\n
Human rights<\/p>\n
Another debate dealt with article 28 I (1) of the chapter on
\nhuman rights, which stipulates the right to live free of torture,
\nslavery and charges based on retroactive laws.<\/p>\n
The wording \"not being charged based on retroactive laws\" was
\nproposed by the TNI\/Police faction, Joko said.<\/p>\n
He said if the proposal was accepted, human rights violations
\nin the past, such as the Tanjung Priok case, could not be taken
\nto court.<\/p>\n
The commission agreed to drop the TNI\/Police proposal, Joko
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Besides the two articles, the Human Rights chapter consists of
\neight more articles, including the right to live, self-defense
\n(article 28A), to start a family and reproduce within a legal
\nmarriage (article 28B).<\/p>\n
Article 28C stipulates the right to self-development and
\neducation, and article 28D deals with the right to receive legal
\nprotection and equal employment opportunities.<\/p>\n
The right to uphold religious beliefs, freedom of opinion and
\nto organize is stated in article 28E, while the right to access
\nof information is stated in article 28F.<\/p>\n
Article 28H guarantees the right to health services and
\nspecial treatment for children, the elderly, pregnant women and
\nthe disabled.<\/p>\n
After an acrimonious debate and intensive lobbying, Commission
\nB, which is assigned with preparing MPR draft decrees, agreed on
\nMonday to delay the deliberation on the regional representatives
\nfaction until next year's Annual Session.<\/p>\n
The evening meeting, presided by Rambe Kamarulzaman, also
\nreached an agreement that an Annual Session could not recommend a
\nspecial session. There had been suggestions that the Assembly
\ninternal ruling open up the possibility of turning an Annual
\nSession into a special session.<\/p>\n
The commission finished deliberation of draft decrees on the
\nseparation of the Indonesian Military from the National Police,
\nfunctions of the Indonesian Military and the National Police,
\nrecommendation on the implementation of regional autonomy,
\nAssembly internal ruling, efforts to strengthen national unity
\nand the source and hierarchy of the Indonesian legal system.<\/p>\n
\"It's a relief that we managed to deliberate all the drafts
\nwithout any major problems, except for the draft on the Assembly
\ninternal ruling,\" Rambe of the Golkar Party faction announced.<\/p>\n
\"There were no major changes made to the drafts, but only
\nrefinement of the wording,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The commission is slated to deliver its report before an
\nAssembly plenary session on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
One of the most important drafts deliberated by the commission
\nwas to allow the presence of military and police personnel in the
\nAssembly until 2009, despite mounting protests from human rights
\nactivists.<\/p>\n
On regional autonomy, it was agreed to give special autonomy
\nto Aceh and Irian Jaya and special consideration to remote areas
\nand frontier regions sharing borders with neighboring countries.
\n(nvn\/jun)<\/p>",
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