1945 Constitution amendments approved

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) agreed on Thursday to amend 10 articles in the 1945 Constitution to curtail powers of the president.

The most noteworthy amendment, and also the main demand of the country's reform movement, is a limit on presidential and vice presidential terms in office to two five-year periods.

Prior to the amendment, Article 7 of the Constitution stated the president and vice president may hold office for an initial term of five years after which they could be reelected an undetermined number of times.

Critics and legislators have said the article was deliberately misinterpreted or abused by Indonesia's two former presidents in order to stay in power.

Sukarno, the country's founding president, and Soeharto held office for 22 years and 32 years respectively.

Critics also said that chapters in the Constitution enabled the former presidents to maintain control of the country in a "constitutional manner".

The Assembly also agreed to revoke the legislative power of a president as stipulated in Article 5 and furnish the power to the House of Representatives.

The Assembly said the amendment would maintain the right of the president to make laws, but the legislation must now be deliberated and endorsed by both the House and the president.

However, the Assembly agreed to postpone deliberation of a proposed amendment that stipulates a law will automatically become effective if it is not signed by the president within 30 days of the House's approval.

The deliberation of the proposed amendment is slated to resume after the General Session of the Assembly, which is scheduled to end on Thursday.

The Assembly also agreed to reduce presidential prerogatives, including the privilege of appointing diplomats and granting amnesties and awards.

The amendment to Article 13 and Article 14 of the Constitution stipulates that the House's opinion must be taken into consideration by the president before diplomats are appointed, and before the sentences of prisoners are commuted or amnesty granted.

Article 15 of the Constitution, which stipulates the president has the right to confer awards and medals, was also amended.

The amendment states that the future conferring of awards will be regulated through a law.

Conferment of medals is an annual tradition held at the State Palace in conjunction with Independence Day on Aug. 17.

This year's ceremony was notable for the exceptionally high number of medals presented.

President B.J. Habibie conferred meritorious service honors on 107 people, including many public figures from his inner circle.

The amendments were endorsed at the Assembly plenary meeting.

After the plenary session, an Assembly working committee will also revise other articles from the Constitution. It will deliberate a draft on direct presidential elections and another draft on the evaluation of state institutions, including the Assembly, the Supreme Advisory Council and the Supreme Audit Agency. (byg)