Scholars oppose amending decree on triumvirate system<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Noted political scientists condemned on
\nWednesday a planned amendment to a 1973 People's Consultative
\nAssembly decree, which would allow top legislative officials to
\nassume executive duties if both the president and vice president
\nwere incapacitated.<\/p>\n
Cornelis Lay and Riswandha Imawan, both lecturers at the
\nGadjah Mada University's School of Social and Political Sciences,
\ntermed it \"strange in politics and politically motivated\".<\/p>\n
The two suspected the plan was initiated by certain political
\ngroups that were dissatisfied with the results of last year's
\ngeneral election and the Assembly's general session which elected
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri in October.<\/p>\n
Cornelis said the maneuver targeted Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"That (proposal) doesn't make sense. Just think if the House
\nof Representatives' speaker holds the executive authority, then
\nwho will control the government?\" Cornelis said.<\/p>\n
The 1973 decree states that a triumvirate of the minister of
\nhome affairs, minister of foreign affairs and the Indonesian
\nMilitary chief will take over the executive duties in the unique
\ncircumstances of both the president and vice president being
\nunable to carry out their state duties.<\/p>\n
Under the Constitution, the vice president would automatically
\ntake over from the president should the latter be incapacitated.
\nHowever, there is no designated successor if the vice president
\nalso is unable to assume the presidential powers.<\/p>\n
Cornelis said the proposed amendment would only harm the
\ndemocratic principle of trias-politica, or division of power.<\/p>\n
Riswandha concurred, saying the proposal would disrupt the
\nmechanism of checks and balances.<\/p>\n
\"It's the House's duty to supervise the executive. I just
\ndon't understand how they can submit such a proposal.\"<\/p>\n
Riswandha speculated that the political alliance among Muslim-
\noriented political parties, known as the \"axis force\", was behind
\nthe proposal.<\/p>\n
\"They have gone too far because by submitting such a proposal,
\nwhich assumes that both President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice
\nPresident Megawati will experience something that may prevent
\nthem from performing their duties.\"<\/p>\n
Riswandha said neither the House speaker nor Assembly speaker
\nhad the right to perform duties of the executive under any
\nconditions.<\/p>\n
He insisted that the terms stipulated in the 1973 Assembly
\ndecree were politically just. (44)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/scholars-oppose-amending-decree-on-triumvirate-system-1447893297",
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