Regions want faction at MPR reinstated<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Forum of Regional Representatives in the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has renewed its call for the
\nreinstatement of its own faction given that the assembly is
\nplanning to hold two sessions within the next three months.<\/p>\n
The forum's chairman, Oesman Sapta, said regional
\nrepresentatives deserved their own faction to enable them to
\nchannel the aspirations of people in the provinces both during
\nthe MPR special session and its annual session.<\/p>\n
\"These two sessions are major events where all parts of the
\nnation, including regional representatives, will decide on the
\ncountry's leadership, the reform movement and regional autonomy,\"
\nOesman said after a consolidation meeting of the forum here on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Oesman, who represents West Kalimantan in the Assembly, said
\nthe forum was upset by the MPR's failure to stand by its
\ncommitment to reestablish the regional representatives faction,
\nwhich was dissolved during the 1999 MPR session. During its
\nannual session last August, the MPR agreed to reinstate the
\nfaction within four months.<\/p>\n
Hatta, deputy chairman of the forum, asserted that the
\nregional representatives had the right to fight for regional
\ninterests in the MPR if embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid was
\nto deliver his accountability statement before the highest law
\nmaking body at its special session to be held in August.<\/p>\n
\"Not only the political parties, but the regions have their
\nown responsibilities and political interests in determining the
\ncountry's future,\" Hatta said.<\/p>\n
Asked to comment on the conflict between the President and the
\nHouse of Representatives, Hatta said the forum had repeatedly
\ncalled on both the President and the House to sit down together
\nand engage in a dialog to seek a peaceful solution to all of the
\nnation's problems, including the conflict between the executive
\nand legislature.<\/p>\n
\"Both the President and the major parties should leave their
\nown interests behind them and prioritize the major problems the
\nnation is facing,\" he said, warning that their protracted dispute
\nwould have repercussions in troubled provinces.<\/p>\n
He regretted the fact that the reform movement had gone beyond
\nthe law and that this had endangered national unity and tarnished
\nthe central government's image in remote regions.<\/p>\n
Hatta, however, dismissed the President's recent statement
\nthat six provinces would declare their independence if the
\nPresident were to be impeached at the MPR special session.<\/p>\n
\"We are representing provinces and we are committed to
\nmaintaining the unitary state. The people really do not care
\nabout the conflict between the members of the political elite and
\nabout who should lead the nation. Of the greatest importance is
\nthat the government pays serious attention to development
\nprograms so as to enable people to survive the ongoing economic
\ncrisis,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
Hatta also said that regional representatives needed a faction
\nin the Assembly to channel people's aspirations about regional
\nautonomy during the MPR's next annual session.<\/p>\n
Since its inception in January, regional autonomy had given
\nrise to fundamental problems that had to be brought up at the
\nMPR's annual session so that solutions could be found, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The main problems are that the putting into effect of
\nregional autonomy has given rise to confusion in numerous
\nprovinces, and that the central government has retained its
\ncontrol over the regions' internal affairs despite the
\ndecentralization of power,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He, however, admitted that many regencies had taken measures
\nthat went beyond the purview of the regional autonomy law due to
\nthe absence of regulations and guidelines on the implementation
\nof regional autonomy.<\/p>\n
\"The absence of regulations and guidelines is connected to the
\nineffective administration and the prolonged conflict between the
\nPresident and the House,\" he said. (rms)<\/p>",
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