MPR won't assess Megawati's annual report<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Following a series of meetings, all 12 factions in the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) have agreed not to assess the
\nprogress report presented by President Megawati Soekarnoputri at
\nthe Annual Session in August.<\/p>\n
The agreement to drop the assessment plan may reduce the
\nduration of the Annual Session from the scheduled 12 days to only
\n10.<\/p>\n
The deputy chairman of the ad hoc committee for the schedule
\nof the Annual Session, Rully Chairul, Azwar confirmed that the
\nAssembly factions would not make a specific assessment of the
\nPresident's progress report.<\/p>\n
\"The assessment will be made by a specific commission that
\nwill later give recommendations to the President. This will save
\ntime,\" Rully told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting at the
\nSantika Hotel here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that the decision, which was made on Monday
\nnight, was a compromise following strong rejection earlier by the
\ncountry's largest party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
In previous meetings, the PDI Perjuangan faction was always of
\nthe opinion that the President did not have to present a progress
\nreport at the Annual Session.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan, which is chaired by Megawati, insisted that
\namendments to the Constitution had removed the authority of the
\nMPR to evaluate the performance of the government.<\/p>\n
The faction feared that an evaluation by the Assembly could
\nlead to a presidential ouster.<\/p>\n
Lukman Hakim Saifuddin of the United Development Party (PPP)
\nand Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa of Golkar, however, said that the
\nPresident should deliver a progress report during the Annual
\nSession.<\/p>\n
Lukman said that progress reports by the heads of all high
\nstate institutions, including the President, to the Assembly were
\nstipulated in an MPR decree.<\/p>\n
As long as there has been no revision to the decree, Lukman
\nadded, the regulation is still relevant.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan accepted the condition after being ensured that
\nthe Assembly factions would not transform the progress report
\ninto an accountability speech.<\/p>\n
Rully of Golkar refuted speculation that the agreement
\nindicated that a backroom deal had been agreed upon by his
\nfaction and PDI Perjuangan, saying the agreement was for the
\nbenefit of the nation.<\/p>\n
\"This is not horse-trading between political parties. This is
\nfor the benefit of the whole nation,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the possibility that the agreement could reduce
\nthe duration of the Annual Session, Rully said that the Annual
\nSession could be cut back to 10 days.<\/p>\n
He revealed that the first day of the session would hear the
\nprogress report of all high state institutions while the second
\nday would hear the views of the 12 factions.<\/p>\n
Legislators are scheduled to have commission meetings from
\nAug. 3 through Aug. 7 and the final draft of recommendations from
\neach commission will be presented on Aug. 8.<\/p>\n
\"Legislators will make decisions on Aug. 9 while on Aug. 10
\nthere will be the handing over of recommendations to the state
\ninstitutions,\" Rully added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, leaders of the 12 factions continued their meeting
\non Tuesday to discuss unsolved articles in the constitutional
\namendments.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mpr-wont-assess-megawatis-annual-report-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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