Annual MPR session mercy or curse

Annual MPR session mercy or curse

The forced resignation of three Indonesian presidents -- the
late Soekarno, Soeharto and Abdurrahman Wahid -- has instilled
fear in President Megawati Soekarnoputri's political
party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan).

Realizing that it is not the largest party faction in the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), PDIP is worried that the
upcoming annual MPR session would turn into a special session --
with the power to impeach a head of state, like that experienced
by Wahid.

Why should the party be afraid of facing presidential
accountability? Why should it be allergic to the checks-and-
balances mechanism?

Whatever the reason of the party's fears, the president's
power should be controlled. It is thus very significant to ask
for presidential accountability every year. An annual
accountability would at least force a president to have an annual
action plan and to make him or her have a transparent and
professional attitude as well as readiness to face
accountability.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta