NGO activists unimpressed with legilators<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Non-governmental activists who monitor the People's
\nConsultative Assembly's Annual Session are not impressed by what
\nthe politicians have done. They say the legislators are not
\nserious in dealing with critical state issues.<\/p>\n
Iva Kasuma of the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW): From what
\nI've learned from this year's Annual Session, we have to tell the
\npeople to be ready for disappointment. Nothing that they have
\ndecided here, is even close to what the people have expected.<\/p>\n
I want to specifically comment on the decree on the
\neradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN)
\npractices.<\/p>\n
I do not see the political will from politicians to push
\nforward with the reform agenda. The downgrading of the penalty
\nfrom dismissal to \"administrative sanctions\" for officials found
\nguilty of involvement in KKN is sound evidence of that.<\/p>\n
Hasannudin M.KH., researcher at the Center for Indonesian Law
\nand Policy Studies: As in previous years, this year's Annual
\nSession has failed to produce decisions that can live up to
\npeople's expectations.<\/p>\n
All we can see out there was the people's representatives
\nfighting for their own interests, not for the interests of the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
The way I see it, we can no longer nurture our hopes on the
\nso-called people's representatives.<\/p>\n
Satpamanto, not his real name, a security guard at the
\nlegislative building: There is always bitter feelings every time
\nthe Annual Session comes to an end.<\/p>\n
The wage I receive is not worth the efforts. There is no clear
\nrule on how much security guards will receive whereas I am
\nordered to be on alert 24 hours a day during this session.<\/p>\n
Now I earn less than I did during the New Order era (1966-
\n1998) when legislators were more generous with tips. Now, nobody
\ncares about giving me tips.<\/p>\n
Vincent Herman Mosafoa, a Rendu tribal leader from Flores,
\nEast Nusa Tenggara and a session observer: I hoped that I would
\nget something by attending the Assembly session.<\/p>\n
I was disappointed that the distinguished people (Assembly
\nmembers) were unable to set a good example to ordinary people, as
\nthey proved when they scuffled at the forum.<\/p>\n
I am also disappointed because, although I had observer
\nstatus, I was barred from entering the conference room when
\nPresident Megawati was present, simply because I wore my
\ntraditional clothing and was barefoot.<\/p>\n
I think they discriminate against people like me. I had just
\ncome from Geneva after attending a forestry meeting there. They
\nrespected my traditional clothes. Why was I despised here?<\/p>\n
Afrizal Tjutra, the Indonesian Foundation to Strengthen
\nPeople's Participation, Partnership and Initiative (Yappika): I
\nwas disappointed by Assembly annual sessions in the past.<\/p>\n
This year's session is the worst because it opened with
\nphysical violence. It was a scuffle, really.<\/p>\n
Many politicians are not serious about the session. They are
\nabsent from meetings, come late or even hang around in their
\nhotel. They spend a lot of taxpayers' money on unproductive
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
Firmansyah, Consortium for National Legal Reform: I don't see
\nanything to show that the Assembly has the will to push for
\npolitical reform.<\/p>\n
Legislators are still reluctant to let the public participate
\nin the political process, as is obvious from the politicians'
\nrefusal to set up an independent constitutional commission.<\/p>\n
Not only that, the Assembly also still wants to retain a
\ndominant role in presidential elections.<\/p>\n
Hadar N. Gumay, Center for Electoral Reform: The Assembly's
\nCommission A in charge of constitutional amendment comprises two
\ncamps, the conservative and the progressive.<\/p>\n
The conservative, which is in the majority, wants little
\nchange to the Constitution, while the progressives want to see it
\ntotally reformed but, unfortunately, they are outnumbered.<\/p>\n
Jufni Ashari, Solidarity Center: I want to see legislators in
\nthe Assembly discuss more realistic problems facing the nation,
\nparticularly how to help our economy recover, otherwise it will
\ncollapse.<\/p>\n
They should also discuss how to deal with the burden of our
\nhuge foreign debt.<\/p>\n
Dewi Suralaga, WWF Indonesia: Let me talk only about the draft
\ndecree on agrarian reform and natural resources management.<\/p>\n
I'm afraid that the decree will only worsen the exploitation
\nof natural resources because it allows more opportunities for
\nthat.<\/p>\n
The problem is that overexploitation does not benefit the
\npeople but only the privileged few. If the exploitation
\ncontinues, people will remain poor, the capitalists and
\ncorruptors will get richer and our invaluable natural resources
\nbe further depleted.<\/p>\n
Robert J.E. Nalenan, an Indonesian Catholic Student
\nAssociation activist: In fact the Assembly should focus on the
\nmany national priorities, such as improving our presidential
\nelection system and other issues related to the amendment of the
\nconstitution.<\/p>\n
But we do not see the legislators giving due attention to the
\nchanges the people are demanding. They still fight for their own
\npolitical interests.<\/p>\n
What concerns me most is the embarrassing scuffling at the
\nbeginning of the session. I question the effectiveness of the
\nAssembly's Annual Session which has cost a lot of taxpayers'
\nmoney.<\/p>",
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