New Assembly members sworn in<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly, bearing the
\ntask of setting the nation on the course of democracy, solemnly
\nbegan its General Session on Friday amid tight security.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of military and police personnel were stationed
\naround the Assembly building as members of the country's highest
\nlaw-making body took the oath of office.<\/p>\n
The stately ceremony was unmarred by incident, except for a
\nscattering of boos aimed at President B.J. Habibie as he strode
\ninto the Assembly hall. Others in attendance clapped the entrance
\nof the President, whose smile never left his face.<\/p>\n
This breach of etiquette drew a protest from National Mandate
\nParty legislator A.M. Fatwa, who interrupted the chairman of the
\nsession, Sujitno Harjosudiro, to ask him to rebuke the unruly
\nAssembly members.<\/p>\n
\"This is the highest institution in the state. I want you, on
\nbehalf of all of us, to reprimand those who booed,\" Fatwa said.<\/p>\n
Sujitno, who was appointed to preside over the session until a
\nspeaker of the Assembly is elected on Saturday, responded to the
\nrequest by saying: \"Assembly members must behave, and I approve
\nthe admonishment.\"<\/p>\n
Chief Justice Sarwata led the separate swearing-in ceremonies
\nfor members of the Assembly and the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
All but two House legislators turned up for the ceremony. The
\nGeneral Elections Commission (KPU) has yet to clear up the legal
\ndifficulties surrounding the last-minute appointments of
\nIndonesian National Party-Marhaen chairman Probosutedjo and
\nDemocratic Catholic Party chairman Markus Mali to the House.<\/p>\n
Neither Probosutedjo, a half-brother of former president
\nSoeharto, and Markus should have qualified for the House because
\ntheir parties did not win a sufficient number of votes in their
\nrespective constituencies, according to the Elections Law. The
\nKPU, however, granted them seats in the House.<\/p>\n
A total of 628 of the 700 Assembly members were installed on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
The Assembly is composed of 500 House legislators, including
\n38 representatives of the Indonesian Military and the National
\nPolice, plus 165 regional and 65 interest group representatives.<\/p>\n
In a rare break from tradition, Assembly members expressed
\ntheir newfound freedom by remaining seated when the head of state
\nentered the hall.<\/p>\n
The new Assembly also limited the time given the President for
\nhis opening speech to the Assembly, something which never
\nhappened to his predecessor Soeharto. According to the schedule
\nissued by the House\/Assembly Secretariat General, the President
\nwas allotted 20 minutes for his speech.<\/p>\n
Later in the General Session, the President will have to give
\nhis accountability speech to the Assembly, which will also elect
\nthe next president.<\/p>\n
In his televised speech, the President congratulated the new
\nAssembly members and exhorted them to do their best to aid the
\nprocess of democratization in the country, to promote human
\nrights and the rule of law and seek ways to help the country
\nemerge from its economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Habibie also threw his weight behind the demand for amendments
\nto the Constitution, but warning that such changes should be
\naimed at preventing government from holding an absolute power.<\/p>\n
\"The amendment should assure that the government will not be
\ntoo dominant nor discourage democratization,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Habibie specifically deplored the use of street rallies as a
\nmeans to express people's demands. He said demonstrations would
\nwreak havoc to the ongoing process of economic recovery in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"Economic recovery requires a conducive and stable
\nsociopolitical atmosphere,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On a somber note, an officer providing security at the session
\ndied from a heart attack.<\/p>\n
Physician Muhammad Arifin told reporters that Chief Warrant
\nOfficer M. Tunjung, 43, a member of the Jakarta Military
\nCommand's intelligence unit, died despite medical personnel's
\nefforts to resuscitate him.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said the officer was watching the live television
\nbroadcast of the Assembly members being sworn in before he passed
\naway. (emf\/byg\/rms\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-assembly-members-sworn-in-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}