On accountability speech, once a year is too often<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Golkar Party has proposed a review of the practice of the
\npresidential accountability report being given on an annual
\nbasis, as practiced over the past two years, because it is
\ninefficient.<\/p>\n
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said on Monday that an
\nannual session used up too much money and energy, which Indonesia
\ndesperately needed for other urgent state priorities.<\/p>\n
The current 10-day session has necessitated a budget of Rp 18
\nbillion. Legislators say that the budget is less than what is
\nneeded, forcing them to stay at the five-star Hotel Mulia at a
\nfour-star rate.<\/p>\n
\"If the session is held annually, the Assembly makes too many
\ndecrees, which rank second only to the 1945 Constitution as state
\ninstruments,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Prior to 1999, the president was required to present an
\naccountability report only once every five years. After president
\nSoeharto resigned in disgrace in 1998, the Assembly and House of
\nRepresentatives wanted stronger supervision of the president.<\/p>\n
The first move to scrap the annual session came from the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which
\nsaw the activity as very costly and of little use.<\/p>\n
Moreover, dealing with the president's accountability report
\nis not part of the Assembly's constitutional job, which consists
\nonly of making the Guidelines of State Policy and amending the
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
Political observer Riswandha Imawan of Gadjah Mada University,
\nYogyakarta, said an annual session had unnecessarily added to the
\npresident's burden.<\/p>\n
\"The Indonesian government is treated like a contractor, with
\nthe Assembly being the employer who wants to have a progress
\nreport every year. Thus, if the Assembly issued a new contract
\nevery year, when would the government be able to accomplish it?\"
\nhe said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-accountability-speech-once-a-year-is-too-often-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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