Amendment faces stronger resistance

Amendment faces stronger resistance

Kurniawan Hari and Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The threat of a deadlock in the fourth phase of constitutional
amendments at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) increased
in seriousness on Friday when a number of legislators revealed
that the move to thwart the amendment was backed by nearly one-
third of the MPR members.

Siti Hartati Murdaya of the Interest Groups faction (FUG) said
that 206 legislators had expressed opposition to the amendment.
Bambang Pranoto of PDI Perjuangan, however, claimed the number
was 222.

"The number will rise because we expect more support from
fellow legislators," Hartati told The Jakarta Post by phone.

According to the 1945 Constitution on amendments, an amendment
can proceed only if it is supported by at least two-thirds of the
Assembly members.

Based on data issued by the Assembly's Secretariat, the actual
number of MPR members is 674. It means that at least 448
legislators have to attend a plenary meeting to endorse the
fourth phase of amendments.

If the maneuver to block the amendment wins the support of
more legislators, possibly from the 38-strong Indonesian
Military/Police faction, the amendment will be stalled.

Slamet Supriyadi, head of the Indonesian Military/National
Police faction at the Assembly, said on Friday that he guaranteed
that none of his faction members would sign the petition to
reject the amendment.

Hartati said that of the 206 legislators, 104 were from PDI
Perjuangan, 59 from the Interest Groups, and another 43 from the
National Awakening Party (PKB).

Bambang Pranoto presented a different figure, saying of the
222 legislators, 107 came from his PDI Perjuangan, 63 from the
Interest Groups and 52 from PKB.

Assembly Speaker Amien Rais expressed concern over the
significant number of MPR members opposing the amendment.

Amien added that if the number of legislators supporting the
amendment was less than two-thirds of the total number of
Assembly members, the amendment process could not be continued.

"Let's wait and see," he said.

Meanwhile, PKB legislator Ida Fauziah denied claims that
members of the PKB faction supported the move to block the
amendment.

"We must differentiate between the action of PKB and that of
other factions," Fauziah told the Post, referring to PDI
Perjuangan and Interest Groups factions.

According to Fauziah, PKB members had signed a petition to
push for the setting up of a constitutional commission, not to
foil the amendment.

PDI Perjuangan faction members Jakob Tobing, Meilono Suwondo,
and JE Sahetapy expressed concern over the move to foil the
endorsement of the amendment.

Jakob said that PDI Perjuangan leader Megawati Soekarnoputri
had repeatedly called on all faction members to support the
constitutional amendment.

"There was a clear message for all members to continue with
the amendment. I don't think this is a serious problem," Jakob
said.

Meilono had a different view, saying that the maneuver was a
result from the indecisiveness of Megawati.

"She (Megawati) is so weak. She allows conflicting opinions to
develop," Meilono charged.

Megawati's husband, Taufik Kiemas, is among the signatories to
the petition against the amendment.