Amendment the main focus at MPR session

Amendment the main focus at MPR session

Kurniawan Hari
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

The fourth phase of the constitutional amendment process will
likely become the major focus of attention from the public and
legislators during the Annual Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), despite some other important issues.

This trend has been reflected in the proposals and input
brought forth by various groups who have visited the MPR over the
last three days. Nearly all of the delegations came to discuss
the constitutional amendment, ignoring other important issues,
such as the recommendations for an economic recovery that will
also be deliberated in the 10-day session.

A group of veteran leaders met deputy Assembly speaker Jusuf
Amir Feisal on Wednesday to voice their rejection of the current
amendment process.

Head of the delegation Syaiful Sulun claimed that the current
amendment process had deviated from the character of the nation
that was defined by the founding fathers.

Earlier on Tuesday Muslim cleric Solahuddin Wahid,
lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution and former coordinating minister for
political and security affairs Gen. (ret) Wiranto also raised
their concerns over the amendment process.

Syaiful Sulun said that the adoption of a bicameral system was
also a deviation from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia as it
could lead to federalism.

There have been fears of Indonesia adopting a federal system
and suspicion that the change was nothing more than a Western
agenda, including the U.S.

"We can't apply American values here," said Syaiful, who was
accompanied by former mines and energy minister Subroto.

Syaiful insisted that the amendment must be based on national
character and warned the Assembly against creating a new
constitution.

Meantime, activists with the Human Rights Advocacy Institute
(LP-HAM) argued that the highest legislative body did not have
the authority to carry out the amendment.

"If the MPR carries out the constitutional amendment or
creates a new constitution, it is an abuse of power because
Assembly members have been sworn in to remain loyal to the
Constitution," said LP-HAM secretary general Hotma David
Simanjuntak in a statement.

Chairman of the reform faction A.M. Luthfi acknowledged that
the constitutional amendment would be the main focus of attention
at the Annual Session.

"We will focus on four unsolved items at the Annual Session.
We have to finish the amendment," said Luthfi, a member of the ad
hoc committee for constitutional amendment (PAH 1).

The ad hoc committee for non-amendments (PAH 2) had prepared
four decrees on a recommendation for a quick economic recovery,
the modification of the Assembly's internal rules, the revocation
of an MPR decree on the procedure for presidential and vice
presidential elections and the agenda for the Annual Session in
2003.

The Annual Session will also hear progress reports by the
President, the House of Representatives (DPR), the Supreme Court
(MA), the State Audit Agency (BPK) and the Supreme Advisory
Council (DPA).

After hearing the reports by those high state institutions,
the 700-strong Assembly will then split into three commissions to
specifically discuss the draft amendment, the four drafts of MPR
decrees and the progress reports.

Each commission will then outline a summary to be submitted to
a plenary meeting, which will later make the final decision.

Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Faction Yusuf
Muhammad meanwhile added that the MPR members would also focus on
the progress report by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The progress report, however, will not lead to an evaluation
of the performance of the President over the past year. All 12
factions in the MPR agreed that they would not treat the progress
report as an accountability speech.

Agenda of the Annual Session
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No. Days Agenda
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1. Aug.1, 2002 Opening speech and progress reports

by President, DPR, DPA, MA, BPK
2. Aug.2, 2002 Internal meetings of MPR factions
3. Aug.3, 2002 General review by all factions and

the setting up of ad hoc commissions
4. Aug.4, 2002 Internal meeting of three commissions
5. Aug.5, 2002 Internal meeting of three commissions
6. Aug.6, 2002 Internal meeting of three commissions
7. Aug.7, 2002 Internal meeting of three commissions
8. Aug.8, 2002 Reports by three commissions
9. Aug.8, 2002 General view by all factions
10. Aug.10,2002 Closing
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Source: MPR