Officials differ on DPR's right to set rules<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Experts disagreed over the authority of the
\noutgoing House of Representatives (DPR) to formulate a new set of
\ninternal rules for the next parliament, whose members will be
\ninstalled on Oct. 1.<\/p>\n
\"It's completely unacceptable,\" according to Riswandha Imawan,
\na politics professor at Gadjah Mada University. However,
\nconstitutional law expert Moh. Mahfud M.D. from the Islamic
\nUniversity (UII), said the House's action did not break any
\nrules.<\/p>\n
Mahfud even suggested that the House prepare rules for the
\nupcoming General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR), as well as rules on how to select representatives of
\ninterest groups and regional representatives in the MPR.<\/p>\n
\"If we really want the General Session of MPR to be held in
\nNovember, we can't give the new DPR too many burdens to settle,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Riswandha said the current DPR, which was formed after the
\n1997 elections under Soeharto's New Order and would disperse on
\nSept. 30, had \"no right\" to prepare rules for the 1999\/2004
\nHouse.<\/p>\n
He cited the vast differences between the current House, which
\nis made up of only four factions, and the next one resulting from
\nmulti-party elections.<\/p>\n
\"It doesn't make any sense and is absolutely unacceptable,\"
\nRiswandha said.<\/p>\n
The legislators themselves defended their endeavor.<\/p>\n
\"We are only trying to help the next (House) members by
\nfinishing the internal rules,\" said Daryatmo Mardiyanto of the
\nGolkar Party faction.<\/p>\n
He said he hoped the new rules would be endorsed before Sept.
\n17, which is the day the current House is supposed to wrap up its
\nsessions.<\/p>\n
The special committee in charge of formulating the bill on
\ninternal rules has finished deliberating on the makeup of the
\nHouse. They decided on Wednesday the next House would be divided
\ninto nine commissions, each with three subcommissions.<\/p>\n
The legislators are to discuss next week how the next
\nlegislative body should be divided into factions, and the
\nmechanism that governs the division.<\/p>\n
\"This is one of the most difficult things to decide,\" Lukman
\nHakim of the United Development Party (PPP) faction said.<\/p>\n
The majority of political parties contesting the June 7
\nelections have not secured enough seats for their parties to be
\nrepresented in all 27 subcommissions. The Justice and Unity Party
\n(PKP), for instance, won only 6 seats, and the Crescent Star
\nParty (PBB) 2 seats.<\/p>\n
Legislators will have a recess period from Aug. 2 to Aug. 13.
\nThey will resume for the last session on August 16 and sit until
\nSept. 17, when the annual state of the nation address will be
\ngiven by the President.(05\/44\/swa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/officials-differ-on-dprs-right-to-set-rules-1447893297",
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