Scholars call for extensive change to system of govt<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political analysts say that the current debate
\non constitutional reform will be fruitless unless it is
\naccompanied by an exploration of an entirely new system of
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"We should put an end to the current MPR system as it can be
\nused to restrict the people's sovereignty. Direct (presidential)
\nelections are needed for a better future of Indonesia,\" said
\nnoted political analyst Harry Tjan Silalahi from the Centre for
\nStrategic and International Studies (CSIS) in a seminar here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
The seminar was held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of
\nthe CSIS.<\/p>\n
Silalahi said the new government system should fully
\naccommodate the sovereignty of the people without any distortion
\nby any institution.<\/p>\n
Indonesia adopts a presidential system but legal experts say
\nit looks more like a quasi-parliamentary system with the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) holding the highest power.<\/p>\n
J.B. Kristiadi, from the CSIS, said that in the current
\ngovernment system, the people's sovereignty was stunted by the
\nMPR.<\/p>\n
Political scientist Chusnul Mariyah said that the MPR system
\ncould not be defended anymore in a modern state administrative
\nsystem as such a system only existed in communist countries.<\/p>\n
\"The MPR system is only comparable with the system in the
\nformer Soviet Union,\" Chusnul added.<\/p>\n
Constitution<\/p>\n
Silalahi, Kristiadi and Chusnul agreed that the 1945
\nConstitution should be replaced by a new constitution whose draft
\nshould be prepared by an independent commission.<\/p>\n
The commission, they said, should comprise representatives
\nfrom various sectors in society.<\/p>\n
\"We should make a new constitution, not merely amend the 1945
\nConstitution. We know that our current Constitution was created
\nunder emergency conditions,\" said Silalahi.<\/p>\n
Independent<\/p>\n
Kristiadi emphasized the importance of an independent
\ncommission to prepare the constitution and urged the MPR to issue
\na decree to establish such an independent commission at its
\nannual session in November.<\/p>\n
\"Such a commission should consist of various experts on
\nconstitutional law, politics, international relations, economics
\nand also representatives from all provinces in the country,\"
\nKristiadi said.<\/p>\n
He added that the draft constitution prepared by the
\ncommission would be submitted to the MPR but the MPR could only
\neither approve or reject it. The MPR should not be allowed to
\nrevise its contents.<\/p>\n
He said he believed that the commission whose members would
\ncomprise various experts and provincial representatives would be
\nable to create a perfect draft of the constitution.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, the MPR can reject the draft, but must not change
\nits contents,\" he said, adding that the new constitution would
\nend the current political disorder which endangered the survival
\nof the nation.<\/p>\n
\"With our current Constitution, we can only produce either a
\nvery strong president like Soeharto or a very weak one like Gus
\nDur (Abdurrahman Wahid),\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
Another aspect which should be highlighted in the new
\nconstitution, Kristiadi said, was human rights protection.<\/p>\n
\"In Thailand, for example, there were 20 articles in their
\nconstitution which addressed human rights issues,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The new constitution, he said, should also stipulate the
\nstate's commitment to combat the chronic corruption, collusion,
\nand nepotism practices in the country.<\/p>\n
A number of prominent local and foreign speakers in the
\nseminar titled Indonesian Nationhood Revised included Roberto
\nRomulo of the Philippines, Ross Garnaut of Australia, Paul Evans
\nof Canada, Kim Kihwan of South Korea, Ronnie Chan of Hong Kong,
\nClyde Prestowitz of the United States, Rizal Mallarangeng and
\nRizal Sukma.<\/p>\n
In his opening remarks, CSIS executive director Dr. Hadi
\nSoesatro said that the centre was not a think tank affiliated to
\nany political party as many people might have believed.<\/p>\n
CSIS is an independent organization, whose members comprise
\nintellectuals coming from various political parties, he said,
\nwith an aim to share ideas and give contribution to the public
\nboth at home and abroad.<\/p>\n
As a non-profit institution, it spent some Rp 6 billion for
\nits activities last year. (02\/hbk)<\/p>",
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