A trip down the memory lane of MPR General Sessions

By Sri Wahyuni

JAKARTA (JP): Although it formally opens today, the 1998 General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) already holds a special place in history.

Compared to its five predecessors during the New Order era, it begins against a unique backdrop of economic turmoil and amid a growing chorus calling for reinvigoration of the social, economic and political fabric of the country.

In a development unheard of in previous sessions, many people now question the legitimacy of the New Order government, and its ability to carry on with the struggle to achieve the ideals it was founded upon.

Millions are waiting to see whether the 1998-2003 State Policy Guidelines will be able to help the country rise to the challenge of extricating itself from the woeful economic situation.

Similarities

Of course, there are similarities with past sessions, including the most talked about issue of presidential and vice presidential candidates. Not that people expect surprises after all five factions in the Assembly endorsed incumbent Soeharto and Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie for the positions.

Should they be elected, it will be only the second example of a "ticket" during the New Order era, and the third since the nation became independent in 1945.

The first package of presidential and vice presidential candidates was Sukarno-Hatta in that year, followed nearly a half-century later by Soeharto and Try Sutrisno in the 1993 General Session.

Each General Session stamps its own distinctive cast of characters and rulings for posterity.

H.J. Naro will always be associated with the congress in 1988. The man initially nominated by the United Development Party (PPP) faction as its vice presidential candidate that year provided a special twist to the proceedings by bucking the implicit political convention of going with the majority flow.

But Golkar had named Sudharmono as its candidate, and voting against the ruling organization was not an option. Naro finally buckled under pressure and wept openly as he left the arena.

This obedience to tradition has sometimes led to intolerance. Interrupting a meeting is considered a violation of the accepted tenets, and when an Assembly member dared to do it 10 years ago, he was dismissed.

Brig. Gen. (now retired) Ibrahim Saleh, a member of the Armed Forces faction, had hastily left his seat, strode to the podium and grabbed the microphone to yell out his opposition against Sudharmono. Although he was pulled away by fellow members, his action created an uproar and an indelible note in history.

Wary organizers of the 1993 General Session were better prepared. They enlisted a group of burly security personnel to keep an eye out for unruly members.

Tradition

A noteworthy feature of previous general sessions is the practice, introduced by Soeharto at the first General Assembly in 1973, of proposing a draft of State Policy Guidelines to steer the nation's development for the ensuing five years.

This time around, there is a difference as the ruling political organization is proposing the draft. This is considered an advance by some people, at least Golkar leaders.

The 1973 session produced 11 decrees, including that of the State Policy Guidelines. The 1978 congress also produced 11 decrees, including No. II/MPR/1978 on "the guidance for the application and implication of the state ideology Pancasila". Based on this decree, the government established an intensive campaign to educate citizens about the ideology.

The United Development Party (PPP) faction initially rejected the decree, but it was finally adopted by vote.

Another important decision of the 1978 General Session was decree No. VI/MPR/78 on the integration of the East Timor as the 27th province of Indonesia.

The same General Session also elected then House Speaker Adam Malik vice president as incumbent Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX refused to be renominated. Daryatmo later took over the House Speaker position.

The same scenario could have played out this year had House Speaker Harmoko not withdrawn from the vice presidential race last month.

Ideology

The decree establishing Pancasila as the sole ideology for all social and political organizations in the country was controversial.

Moslem groups reacted strongly against the decree because they believed their organizations should be based on Islam first. The Association of Moslem Students (HMI) was just one among many organizations which became divided over the issue.

The 1983 session produced eight decrees, the 1988 session seven and 1993 yielded five.

According to the 1945 Constitution, the MPR must hold a general congress of its members at least once every five years. If necessary, the Assembly could also convene an extraordinary session.

Thus, two types of sessions are sanctioned: the General Session -- usually held at the beginning of the Assembly's five- yearly periods -- and the extraordinary one.

In history, only the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS), formed by a 1959 presidential decree -- has convened a special session. In all, the MPRS held five general sessions and one special session which resulted in the adoption of 46 decrees.

In 1973, there were 920 members of the Assembly, but the number was increased to 1,000 in 1987 to better cope with the rising demands of a growing population.

Constitution

The 1945 Constitution requires the General Sessions be held in the capital, but several were held in other politically important cities.

In 1946, when Yogyakarta was the capital and residence of then President Sukarno and Vice President M. Hatta, the Central National Committee of Indonesia, whose function was the same with the MPR, held its third general assembly in the nearby town of Surakarta. The following year, it held its fourth general assembly in the East Java town of Malang.

In 1955, the acting legislature, known as the Konstituante, held its general session in the West Java town of Bandung. The MPRS did the same in the 1960s, holding its first and second General Sessions in Bandung.