ABRI faction at House to be more perceptive: Hari

ABRI faction at House to be more perceptive: Hari

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) faction, which has been
allotted 75 seats in the House of Representatives, pledged
yesterday to listen more to people's demands.

Maj. Gen. Hari Sabarno, after receiving the faction's
leadership baton from Lt. Gen. Suparman Achmad, said legislators
must be more perceptive to people's demands if the House wished
to improve its performance.

"House legislators must be used to listening to rather than
speaking to people, particularly because public demands are now
increasing," Hari said in his acceptance speech.

Hari will lead his faction once all 1,000 House and People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) members are installed on Oct. 1. Only
35 of the current 100 ABRI legislators will be sitting in the
next House.

The government decided to cut the number of ABRI
representatives in the House from 100 to 75 in the run-up to the
general election last May.

ABRI members do not vote in general elections, but their seats
in the House are uncontested.

Hari said he would insist on all members of the ABRI faction
to drill their communication skills while deepening their
knowledge on particular matters they would be assigned with.

"Different from legislators or political organizations who may
have ample time to learn something, we are supposed to tune into
a new world quickly," Hari said.

Hari, a former assistant to the Armed Forces chief of
sociopolitical affairs, will have his military rank raised to
lieutenant general after the induction of House and MPR members.

Outgoing Suparman shared Hari's view, saying that ABRI bore a
mission to relay public aspirations, aside from maintaining
harmony in the House.

"Our imminent challenge will deal with democracy, environment
and human rights," he said.

"We must be aware so people won't fall prey to upheavals
stemming from those major issues," he added.

Suparman will hold one of 38 additional seats given to ABRI in
MPR.

Other military top brass who will be in MPR are Armed Forces
Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto.

The leadership transfer of the ABRI faction usually
takes place after the installment of House legislators. Suparman
explained the ceremony was held earlier due to busy preparations
for the induction of new legislators on Oct. 1.

"Also because my successor comes from the present Armed Forces
faction," Suparman said.

Deputy House Speaker Soetedjo, himself an ABRI representative,
was present at the handover ceremony. (amd)