Nuclear bill blocked by deadlock<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Deliberation on the controversial government-
\nsponsored bill on nuclear power plants has come to a stand-still
\nbecause legislators have failed to agree on \"substantial
\nmatters.\"<\/p>\n
A legislator contacted by The Jakarta Post refused to explain
\nwhat section of the bill caused the deadlock last Thursday. But
\nsources say the impasse was partly caused by legislators refusing
\nto comply with the Dec. 12 deadline imposed by the government for
\nfinalizing deliberations.<\/p>\n
In previous hearings, issues that caused disagreement included
\nthe establishment of a body to monitor the operation of the
\nplanned nuclear power plant, and a demand from the House that
\ntheir approval be sought for plant construction.<\/p>\n
\"The process has been tough. We have been facing a deadlock
\nsince the second day of final deliberations,\" said Muhammad Buang
\nof the United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
The final phase of deliberations on the bill began on Nov. 13,
\nfive days earlier than originally scheduled. This phase has been
\nclosed to the public whereas earlier stages have been open. The
\ngovernment submitted the bill on nuclear power to the House of
\nRepresentatives on Jan. 28 and expected to see it passed by Dec.
\n12.<\/p>\n
The bill has attracted much criticism, with many people
\naccusing the government of turning a deaf ear to concerns about
\nthe planned construction of a nuclear power plant. Some say the
\nbill was prepared only to pave the way for building the plant.<\/p>\n
Anung Karyadi of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment
\n(Walhi), one of the staunchest critics of the planned plant, said
\nthe bill contains nothing but procedures for legitimizing the
\nplant.<\/p>\n
Despite widespread opposition, the National Atomic Energy
\nAgency (Batan) has said it will go ahead with the plan to build a
\n1,800 megawatt nuclear power plant on the Muria peninsula in
\nCentral Java. Operations are expected to begin in 2003.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the government installed Iyos S. Subki as the new
\ndirector of atomic energy replacing long-serving Djali Ahimsa.<\/p>\n
Djali had earlier claimed Indonesia would need seven to 12
\nnuclear plants to meet the expected demand of 27,000 megawatts of
\nelectricity from homes and industries in Java and Bali in the
\nforeseeable future.<\/p>\n
Iyos had led the team on site and feasibility studies, which
\nfound that the planned plant would meet commercial and
\nenvironmental requirements.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Buang rejected opinions that the earlier, open
\ndeliberation was concluded prematurely and failed to solve
\nsubstantial questions.<\/p>\n
\"'Substantial matters' in the deliberation of a bill are
\nusually solved at closed hearings, anyway,\" Buang said. He said
\nno new deadline had been set by which the House would have to
\nbreak the impasse and reach an agreement.<\/p>\n
Critics of the bill, including those from non-governmental
\norganizations and the House of Representatives, have said that
\nonly those in favor of the bill were given ample opportunity to
\nspeak in the previous hearings.<\/p>\n
Refusing to go into detail, Buang said the disagreement in the
\nHouse was exacerbated by the absence of the State Minister of
\nResearch and Technology B.J. Habibie, who represented the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Habibie is said to be accompanying his wife for medical
\ntreatment in Germany.<\/p>\n
The final stage of deliberations had been arranged with
\nHabibie's presence in mind, Buang said, adding that Habibie's
\nrepresentative in the ongoing debate does not dare make decisions
\non the contentious issues. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nuclear-bill-blocked-by-deadlock-1447893297",
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