Political bills to be finalized by the end of this month<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although amendments to the 1945 Constitution have not been
\ncompleted, the government is currently putting the finishing
\ntouches to new bills on political affairs, Minister of Home
\nAffairs Hari Sabarno says.<\/p>\n
Briefing the press after a Cabinet meeting here on Thursday,
\nHari said that the drafts were expected to be completed by the
\nend of April.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to complete the drafts in April and submit them to
\nthe House of Representatives as soon as possible thereafter,\"
\nHari told journalists.<\/p>\n
The bills on political parties, general elections, and
\ncomposition of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) would be the subject of
\ninterdepartmental and Cabinet discussions before they were
\nsubmitted to the House for deliberation, Hari said.<\/p>\n
He did not say how long the interdepartmental discussions
\nwould take.<\/p>\n
As MPR members have not completed the amendments to the 1945
\nConstitution, the election bill is presumed to be based on a
\nprevious agreement that the country would have a direct
\npresidential election in 2004.<\/p>\n
According to Hari, the bill on political parties proposes that
\npolitical parties should be independent and receive no financial
\nassistance from the government. The draft also maintains the
\ncurrent electoral threshold of 2 percent, instead of 5 percent as
\nproposed by certain quarters.<\/p>\n
Currently, political parties receive financial aid from the
\ngovernment based on the number of seats they garnered in the
\ngeneral election.<\/p>\n
As the 2004 general election draws nearer, the country's
\nGeneral Election Commission (KPU) has repeatedly urged the
\ngovernment to immediately submit the bills on political parties
\nand general elections to the House for deliberation.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, chairman of the MPR's Ad Hoc Committee I in charge
\nof constitutional revision, Jacob Tobing, urged the government to
\ndraft and submit the political bills to the House as soon as
\npossible.<\/p>\n
\"There is no problem at all. The government can draft the two
\nbills without waiting for the amendment process,\" Jacob told The
\nJakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He underlined the fact that MPR members had agreed to hold a
\ndirect presidential election in 2004.<\/p>\n
He also said that the government should immediately issue
\nregulations on the requirements for political parties to
\nparticipate in general elections.<\/p>\n
Ad Hoc Committee I member Baharuddin Aritonang of the Golkar
\nfaction also urged the government to submit the drafts of the
\nrevised political laws to the House.<\/p>\n
According to Aritonang, the bills on political parties and
\ngeneral elections should be submitted as soon as possible to the
\nHouse, while the third law could be forwarded later.<\/p>\n
He also expressed optimism that the amendment of the 1945
\nConstitution would be completed by July this year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/political-bills-to-be-finalized-by-the-end-of-this-month-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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