Try enters debate, says members have dual responsibility<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno yesterday stepped
\ninto the controversy about the role of the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) stating that legislators represent both the
\npeople and the political organizations that appointed them.<\/p>\n
Try made the remarks when he met with leaders of the
\nAssociation of Catholic Students (PMKRI) at the Merdeka Selatan
\npalace yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"The Vice President said we should not distinguish whether
\nHouse members represent the people or a political organization.
\nIf we know the system, we'll know that they are working in the
\ninterest of the people,\" PMKRI chairman Antonius Doni said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. has also clarified
\nhis remarks on the issue, stating that House members represent
\nboth the political organizations and the people.<\/p>\n
His chief spokesman in a statement said the minister's remarks
\nsuggesting that legislators represent the political
\norganizations, which appeared in some newspapers on Tuesday, were
\nincomplete.<\/p>\n
However the minister failed to make clear where the loyalty of
\na legislators should go first -- the people or the political
\norganization -- which is the crux of the debate.<\/p>\n
Some legislators, who took particular offense at Yogie's first
\nstatement, have demanded that Yogie be reprimanded by President
\nSoeharto for speaking out of line.<\/p>\n
Political scientist Afan Gaffar of the Gadjah Mada University
\nyesterday said Yogie's statement is degrading to the House and
\ncould further erode the trust of the people towards the
\ninstitution, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
\"Can you imagine if the people no longer see DPR as
\nrepresenting them? Why would they bother with elections?\" asked
\nAfan, head of the Public Administration Studies of the School of
\nSocial and Political Sciences.<\/p>\n
Using the same logic, the people would be right to question
\nwho the legislators represented when they elected the President
\nand whose interest did they have in mind when they drafted and
\nendorsed the national development programs? he asked.<\/p>\n
His colleague from Gadjah Mada, Miftah Thoha, also warned that
\nunless the government clarified its position quickly, more people
\nwould shun the next general election.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Yogie's immediate predecessor Rudini said that
\nalthough the legislators were appointed by the political
\norganizations and not directly elected by the people, they still
\nrepresent the people.<\/p>\n
Rudini cited the 1985 law on general elections which clearly
\nstates that a general election is held to elect the
\nrepresentatives of the people in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The retired Army general who now heads a private think-tank
\ngroup said that although the legislators are bound by the rules
\nof the organizations that sent them to the House, this should not
\nstop them from representing the interests of the people.<\/p>\n
The current debate was sparked by the attempt to remove
\nlegislator Bambang Warih Koesoemo from the House by the dominant
\npolitical group Golkar. House Speaker Wahono, who has the final
\nsay on the matter, has not decided.<\/p>\n
Bambang, known for his outspokenness, and his supporters
\ninsist that he was representing the interests of the people when
\nhe criticized some government officials, the prime reason why
\nGolkar want him out.<\/p>\n
In the general elections, voters cast their ballots for one of
\nthe political organizations to determine the allocation of the
\n400 of the 500 seats in DPR. The other 100 seats are reserved for
\nthe Armed Forces whose members do not vote. Prior to the
\nelections, the political organizations present their lists of
\ncandidates that would represent them in the House.<\/p>\n
House Deputy Speaker H.J. Naro meanwhile said that the
\npolitical organizations have every right to withdraw their
\nlegislators from the House, according to Antara.<\/p>\n
The House Speaker must not get in the way of the
\norganization's plans to change their representatives in the
\nHouse, said Naro from the United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
The House's regulations required that political organizations
\nconsult with the House Speaker before withdrawing any legislator.<\/p>\n
Naro argued that consultation here has been interpreted to
\nmean informing the House Speaker and not seeking his permission
\nas has often been case. (emb)<\/p>",
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