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