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)