`Recalling right prone to abuse by parties'<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Political observers criticized the reinstatement of the recalling
\nmechanism in the newly endorsed bill on the composition of
\nlegislative bodies, saying it is prone to misuse by political
\nparties that intend to silence outspoken legislators.<\/p>\n
J. Kristiadi of the Centre for Strategic and International
\nStudies (CSIS) and Smita Notosusanto of the Centre of Electoral
\nReform (CETRO) said that as in the past the recalling mechanism
\nwould only give political parties too much power that would in
\nturn endanger democracy.<\/p>\n
\"The reinstatement of the recalling system is a thoughtless
\nidea. It will only encourage legislators to be loyal to the
\nparty's central board instead of their constituents,\" Kristiadi
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The recalling system gives a political party the power to
\nwithdraw its members from a legislative body if they are deemed
\nto have violated the party statuettes.<\/p>\n
He underlined that the House of Representatives and the
\ngovernment had betrayed and humiliated the reform movement that
\nurges the nation to uphold democracy.<\/p>\n
The bill on the composition of legislative bodies was passed
\nas the nation braces for the first direct legislative election,
\nin which voters choose both candidates and their political
\naffiliation. In the past, voters picked political parties.<\/p>\n
Smita concurred with Kristiadi, saying it should be the
\nconstituents who assess the performance of legislators, not the
\nparty's executive board.<\/p>\n
\"Once a person is elected legislator, he or she is no longer
\nthe representative of a political party, but the people,\" Smita
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
She feared the power given to political party's executive
\nboard to recall legislators would threaten democracy in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
The recalling mechanism is also adopted by Law No. 31\/2002 on
\npolitical parties enacted in November last year, which states
\nthat members of the legislature can be replaced if they are
\ndismissed from their respective party for violating party's
\nstatutes.<\/p>\n
During the era of authoritarian president Soeharto, when the
\nrecalling provision was recognized, some outspoken legislators,
\nincluding Marzuki Darusman and Bambang Warih Kusuma of Golkar,
\nwere removed from the House.<\/p>\n
Marzuki was recalled soon after telling the press that the
\nultimate target of a politician was to become president. It was
\ntaboo to make such a statement when Soeharto was still in power.<\/p>\n
Article 103 (3) on the composition of legislative bodies
\nstates that members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR),
\nthe House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional Representatives
\n(DPR), and the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) cannot be
\nreplaced due to any statements or questions they may express, or
\nopinions they hold.<\/p>\n
Smita said, however, that such a regulation would not prevent
\npolitical party's executive board from misusing the power to
\nsilence critical legislators.<\/p>\n
\"As there is no clear description of who will define the
\nrecalling it will make the stipulation prone to abuse,\" she
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi and Smita suggested that the article allowing a
\npolitical party to recall its members be scrapped, otherwise it
\nwould encourage legislators to pledge allegiance to the political
\nparty not to the people who vote for them.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi said that the recalling must came from the
\nconstituents, not by the party's executive board.<\/p>\n
He added that a number of 1,000 people could, for example,
\npropose for the replacement of certain legislators they
\nconsidered underachieving.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/recalling-right-prone-to-abuse-by-parties-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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