MPR vows to restore its tarnished image<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has
\nacknowledged its past weaknesses and poor image, and has vowed to
\ncontinue to empower itself so it can fight for democratization.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the Assembly's Working Committee (BP MPR) said here
\nWednesday that the highest state institution had \"realized\" its
\nfaults of the past and was making changes to rectify its poor
\nimage.<\/p>\n
\"The Assembly has made important changes in order to improve
\nits image and it is now much different from what it was in the
\npast,\" Poedjono Pranjoto, newly elected chairman of the
\nAssembly's Working Committee, said here on Wednesday. He was
\nreferring to the Assembly's rubber-stamp image under former
\npresident Soeharto's regime.<\/p>\n
The Assembly's Working Committee in its plenary session on
\nWednesday elected Poedjono of the regional representatives
\nfaction as its new chairman, along with five new deputies from
\nall factions.<\/p>\n
The five deputies are Marzuki Darusman of the Golkar faction,
\nTosari Widjaya of the United Development Party faction, Maj. Gen.
\nAchmad Roestandi of the Armed Forces faction, Ismunandar of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party faction and Liliek Hendradjaya of the
\nregional representatives faction.<\/p>\n
Poedjono said that a number of MPR members who were believed
\nto have obtained their posts through collusive practices or
\nnepotism had been replaced.<\/p>\n
In addition, several Cabinet ministers of President B.J.
\nHabibie's administration have also been removed from the Working
\nCommittee -- whose task will be to prepare for the special
\nsession of the People's Consultative Assembly in November.<\/p>\n
The Working Committee is divided into two ad hoc committees:
\nthe first is in charge of preparing the general elections while
\nthe second is in charge of the agenda for the special session.<\/p>\n
Both the Assembly and the House of Representatives were
\ntargets of fierce criticism for failing to represent the people
\nand fight for their interests during Soeharto's era.<\/p>\n
Liliek said: \"The MPR is committed to reform and will not
\nrepeat the mistakes.\"<\/p>\n
\"The working committee and its ad hoc committees will work
\nhard in the next 10 days to prepare 23 draft decrees to be
\ndiscussed in the MPR special session,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Following the working committee's plenary session, Ad Hoc
\nCommittee I elected Marwah Daud Ibrahim of the Golkar faction as
\nits chairperson and Soerjadi Soedirdja of the regional
\nrepresentatives faction as deputy chairman. Ad Hoc Committee II
\nelected Vice Adm. Widodo A.S. of the Armed Forces faction as its
\nchairman and Slamet Effendy Yusuf of the Golkar faction as its
\ndeputy chairman.<\/p>\n
Ad Hoc I committee will discuss 10 draft decrees, including
\none on general elections, while Ad Hoc II committee will discuss
\n13 draft decrees, including one on the agenda of the Assembly's
\ngeneral session.<\/p>\n
Ismunandar called on the body's ad hoc committees to discuss
\nall of the draft decrees and pass them all as a show of
\ncommitment to reform.<\/p>\n
\"The draft decrees were intentionally proposed by MPR factions
\nas a means to channel people's aspirations. The image of the MPR
\nis at stake here... People will have confidence in the MPR if it
\npasses all of the draft decrees to be discussed in the Assembly's
\nspecial session,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Two proposed draft decrees order President B.J. Habibie to
\ninvestigate former president Soeharto's wealth and that of his
\nfamily, and bring him before the Assembly to give an account of
\nhis last term of presidency, from March 11 through May 21, and
\nthe May 14 riots that took place when he was still president.
\n(rms)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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