Next election depends on MPR<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Legislators gave the go-ahead on Wednesday for an amendment to
\nthe constitution, which is currently being implemented by the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR), despite recent attempts to
\nblock its process.<\/p>\n
Should the amendment fail to materialize, it would bring to a
\nhalt the endorsement of bills on political parties and elections,
\nthereby disrupting the 2004 general election, according to
\nlegislator Slamet Effendy Yusuf.<\/p>\n
\"That is our priority -- if we can't reach a consensus, we may
\nvote on that issue,\" said Slamet, deputy chairman of the
\nAssembly's ad hoc committee for constitutional amendment (PAH I).<\/p>\n
Slamet said that, besides bills on political parties and the
\ngeneral election, the composition of the MPR would also be a hot
\ntopic during the plenary session of the Assembly in August.<\/p>\n
Under the new composition, the Functional Group faction will
\nbe dissolved in line with a plan to create a bicameral system,
\nconsisting of the House and the Regional Legislative Councils
\n(DPD), with the aim of boosting democracy.<\/p>\n
The dissolution of the Functional Group faction from the
\nAssembly is supposed to be a consequence of the proposed
\nestablishment of the bicameral system.<\/p>\n
The 11 factions at the MPR have yet to reach agreement on the
\namendment on that issue.<\/p>\n
During a recent meeting of the PAH I at the Sheraton Hotel
\nhere, members of the Functional Group faction insisted that its
\nexistence be maintained.<\/p>\n
Soedijarto of the functional group said that last year's
\namendment, which resulted in the inclusion of Articles 22C and
\n22D on DPD, had totally altered the state administrative system.<\/p>\n
\"This is a radical modification of state administrative
\nsystem,\" Soedijarto told The Jakarta Post by phone.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, advocacy director of the Center for Electoral
\nReform (Cetro) Hadar N. Gumay said that the opposition to the
\namendment was mainly prompted by the lack of clear concept of the
\namendment itself.<\/p>\n
The lack of a clear concept, Hadar added, had created
\nconfusion among the legislators, some of whom then expressed
\nopposition to it.<\/p>\n
Separately, more supports appear for the continuation of the
\namendment of the constitution, and this time comes from the
\nCrescent and Star Party (PBB).<\/p>\n
PBB lashed out on Wednesday over the recent move by the Forum
\nfor Constitutional Studies (FKIK) to block the amendment of the
\nconstitution being carried out by the MPR.<\/p>\n
\"The central board of the party reminds the MPR not to be
\ntrapped into wishful thinking that the constitution is sacred,
\nand cannot be amended,\" said Hamdan Zoelva, the deputy secretary
\ngeneral of the party, as he read out a party statement at a press
\nconference here.<\/p>\n
According to PBB, the political move by FKIK would merely
\nhamper the reform movement, establishing the status quo.<\/p>\n
Alternative 1: The People's Consultative Assembly consists of
\nmembers of the House of Representatives, and members of the
\nRegional Legislative Councils elected through general election,
\nand the representatives of Functional Group which is regulated by
\nfurther law.<\/p>\n
Alternative 2: The People's Consultative Assembly consists of
\nmembers of the House of Representatives, and members of the
\nRegional Legislative Councils elected through general election
\nand will be regulated by further law.<\/p>",
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