Presidency bill awaits Constitution amendment<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Debate over a bill that regulates the president's powers must
\nwait for the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, a legislator
\nsaid, further pushing back its deliberation after more than 12
\nmonths' wait.<\/p>\n
Firman Jayadaeli of the Indonesian Democratic Party for
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Friday that discussion on the
\nbill had not yet begun.<\/p>\n
\"We're in the midst of amending the Constitution, the bill has
\nto wait,\" said Firman, a member of the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
He said ongoing talks over the Constitution meant the House
\nwould have to adjust the bill with the amendment outcome.<\/p>\n
The amendment of the Constitution is one of the demands of the
\nreform movement. Reformers have said the original Constitution
\nlends too much power to the state's executive branch, mainly the
\npresident, at the expense of public control.<\/p>\n
So far changes to the Constitution include shifting the
\ninitiative for drafting laws to the legislature from the
\npresident.<\/p>\n
\"The bill is the detailed interpretation of the Constitution,\"
\nFirman explained.<\/p>\n
He said the bill treated the president and the vice president
\nas a political institution with rights and obligations. Relations
\nwith other state institutions also formed part of the bill, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
The House initiated the bill last year amid sour relations
\nwith then President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Critics have said legislators aimed to undermine the authority
\nof Abdurrahman, who had been at loggerheads with the House for
\nmost of his 22-month tenure.<\/p>\n
Months of impeachment calls eventually led to Abdurrahman's
\nouster last July before the House was able to pass the bill.<\/p>\n
Interest in the bill diminished in the months after, and under
\nthe urging of the present government its debate was delayed.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's successor, President Megawati Soekarnoputri of
\nPDI Perjuangan, reportedly wanted more time to study the bill.<\/p>\n
Firman however denied the bill came into being because of
\nskirmishes with Abdurrahman.<\/p>\n
He said the bill would ensure checks and balances between the
\npresident and the legislature. It aimed at protecting each
\ninstitution from overstepping its powers by better defining the
\npresident's powers.<\/p>\n
\"We want to empower the presidency but at the same also
\ndetermine its transparency and accountability,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Firman could not say when the House would start discussing the
\nbill, and when they expected to deliberate it. \"It's still
\nrelevant though not that urgent.\"<\/p>\n
Political analyst Fachry Ali doubted that legislators would
\nstart discussing the bill in the near future even if the
\namendment of the Constitution had been finalized.<\/p>\n
\"There are so many bills that legislators must work on and
\nthis isn't one of their priorities,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to him PDI Perjuangan, which takes up most of the
\nHouse's seats, is in no hurry to get the bill passed.<\/p>\n
\"I fear that many of our legislators lack the vision to think
\nbeyond their political parties' short term interests.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/presidency-bill-awaits-constitution-amendment-1447893297",
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