MPR wants Megawati's tasks to be detailed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Subcommission C of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) has agreed to prepare only one draft decree that
\ninstructs the President to issue a detailed presidential decree
\non the Vice President's new tasks.<\/p>\n
The decree will incorporate the Assembly's recommendations to
\nstate institutions, including the government.<\/p>\n
Postdam Hutasoit of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, who presided over the
\nsubcommission's meeting on Monday, said the Assembly's
\nrecommendations and the delegation of presidential duty would be
\ninserted in an appendix of the draft decree on the Assembly's
\nevaluation of state institutions' progress reports.<\/p>\n
\"We don't need a special decree to formalize the handover of
\nday-to-day running of the government because the aspirations of
\nthree minority parties proposing a special decree will be
\naccommodated in the draft decree prepared by the Assembly's
\nworking committee,\" he said in the meeting.<\/p>\n
Quoting the President's recent speech delivered before the
\nAssembly's plenary session, Postdam said the draft decree
\nstipulates a necessity for the President to issue a presidential
\ndecree on the Vice President's detailed tasks.<\/p>\n
\"According to the President's speech, the Vice President will
\ntackle technical tasks of day-to-day administration, design the
\nnext Cabinet's work agenda and set the government's priorities.
\nWith the new tasks, the Vice President will have to report to the
\nPresident regularly,\" he said, adding that such a draft decree
\nwas not against the Constitution or the presidential system of
\nthe government.<\/p>\n
The subcommission reached the agreement after lobbying the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP), Crescent Star Party (PBB) and
\nreform factions, which proposed a special draft decree.<\/p>\n
Sophan Sophiaan, chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction, said
\nthe three minority factions' aspirations would be accommodated in
\nthe draft decree, which was prepared by the Assembly's working
\ncommittee, but they would be carefully worded so that the draft
\ndecree would not violate the Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no delegation of power. The decree will contain
\na delegation of duty,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said PDI Perjuangan, along with seven other factions,
\nopposed the insertion of the delegation of duty as it was pledged
\nby the President in the draft decree.<\/p>\n
\"We reject the special decree proposed by the three factions
\nbecause it has never been deliberated by the working committee,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Amien Aryoso of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan) faction said with the draft decree, the Assembly
\nwould accept and appreciate the President's good will to give new
\ntasks to the Vice President to run the government.<\/p>\n
Alvin Lie of the Reform faction said the three factions
\nproposed the special draft decree because they no longer trusted
\nthe President, not to mention his physical handicaps, which have
\nhindered him from managing the government.<\/p>\n
\"With the special draft decree, the three factions are trying
\nto help him by giving him a valid and legitimate aide, Megawati,
\nto safeguard his government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He declined to answer whether the three factions used the
\nspecial draft decree as a political bargaining tool with the
\nPresident to gain several seats in the next Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"It's up to you to make such an analysis on the political
\nmotives behind the three factions' motion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
M.S. Kaban of the PBB faction, however, acknowledged the three
\nfactions' strong attempt to gain several seats in the next
\nCabinet.<\/p>\n
\"Politics cannot be separated from power. Like other political
\nparties, we are also intensifying our lobby to share in the
\npower,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yahya Zaini of the Golkar faction said the three minority
\nfactions' draft decree could be seen as a political bargaining
\ntool with major factions ahead of the planned Cabinet reshuffle.<\/p>\n
\"With the draft decree, the President is expected to consult
\nthe Vice President in the selection of ministers from the
\npolitical parties, including the minority parties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
More observers denounced the MPR's wish to formalize the task-
\nsharing arrangement between the President and Vice President,
\nsaying the legislative body had intervened in executive affairs.<\/p>\n
\"It will be better if President Abdurrahman and Vice President
\nMegawati make a sort of gentlemen's agreement, in which the two
\narrange the sharing of policy-making jobs,\" Ichlasul Amal of
\nGadjah Mada University said.<\/p>\n
Another political observer from the university, Riswandha
\nImawan, said formalizing the handover of presidential duties
\nwould result in uncertainty in the state administration.<\/p>\n
\"Let the President and Vice President talk the matter over
\nthemselves. There should not be too many parties involved in
\nexecutive affairs,\" he said. (44\/rms\/dja)<\/p>",
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