Tiny PDI loses out on senior House position<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The dominant party, Golkar, and the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) have refused to accommodate the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) request for top posts in the
\nHouse of Representatives despite its dismal election performance.<\/p>\n
Golkar legislator Syamsul Mu'arif revealed that the PDI had
\ncalled for changes to the House's internal rules to enable the
\nparty to help chair House commissions.<\/p>\n
The request was made at a meeting of a special committee,
\nwhich Syamsul chairs, to deliberate amendments to the 14-year-old
\ninternal rules to improve legislators' performance. The committee
\nwas also set up to anticipate problems in the House's decision
\nmaking processes arising from the PDI's under-representation.<\/p>\n
The PDI won only 11 of the House's 425 seats contested in the
\nMay 29 general election. Golkar won 325 and the PPP gained 89.
\nThe remaining 75 seats are reserved for the Armed Forces, whose
\nmembers do not vote.<\/p>\n
House rules say that a commission should be chaired by
\nrepresentatives from all four factions. A commission chairperson
\nis not allowed to sit on the House's supplementary bodies in
\ncharge of inter-parliamentary cooperation affairs and internal
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
The House has 10 commissions and a special commission for the
\nstate budget.<\/p>\n
Syamsul said that, although Golkar believed in proper
\nrepresentation, a commission's chairmanship could comprise less
\nthan four people. Golkar also demanded that any faction with at
\nleast three people in a commission deserved a chair position on
\nthat commission.<\/p>\n
"It is unfair if the PDI secures a chairmanship post in a
\ncommission by fielding just one representative. This, on the
\nother hand, will eliminate PDI legislators' right to speak,"
\nSyamsul said.<\/p>\n
House rules stipulate that only commission members are allowed
\nto speak or raise questions in sessions. A commission chairperson
\nmust step down before being allowed to address the commission.<\/p>\n
Syamsul said the PPP was more straightforward than Golkar
\nbecause it had suggested that the House drop the principle of
\nideal representation.<\/p>\n
"A commission's chairmanship does not need to comprise all
\nfour factions. The chairmanship may exclude the PDI if
\nnecessary," Syamsul quoted PPP spokesman Alimarwan Hanan as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
Syamsul said the four factions had agreed in principle to
\nsimplify procedures for the House legislators to exercise their
\nright to control the government.<\/p>\n
The PDI and PPP have complained that the House's performance
\nhas suffered because it has had to deal with complicated
\nprocedures before it could question government policies.<\/p>\n
"The House lives in shackles of its own creation," a PDI
\nstatement said.<\/p>\n
The special committee is expected to release its
\nrecommendations by July 22. (amd)<\/p>",
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