Amendment to the Constitution

From Rakyat Merdeka

The amendment being processed for the 1945 Constitution at the House of Representatives will apparently take a long time due to the controversies surrounding its necessity. Some politicians have also voiced their opinions, which are colored with personal ambitions. This was, for instance, reflected in the statements by Amien Rais, the speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly.

Amien said he was greatly concerned about Article 8, which he says is crucial. Basically, he is afraid that if the president is prevented from or made incapable of performing his duties for a certain reason, the vice president will automatically replace him.

His view might be rational but it suggests that he is afraid if President Abdurrahman Wahid was unable to continue his duties, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri would replace him.

Now if Amien were the vice president, would he have raised this concern? In all honesty, the cause of this country's bad condition is not laws or regulations. It is instead caused by moral and mental ruin, including that of bureaucrats and the political elite. It is these moral values and mentality which need amendment.

JIWANDONO

Bekasi, West Java