Assembly factions agree on 12 draft decrees
JAKARTA (JP): All five factions in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) agreed to a package of 12 draft decrees on Wednesday, but it was Golkar that stole the show for attempting a complete breakaway from its past.
Speaking in a plenary session, Golkar spokeswoman Marwah Daud Ibrahim made it clear that the ruling political group was poised to go along with popular demands for total reform. But it fell short of publicly declaring its repentance for past political mistakes, and instead blamed its long-time patron former president Soeharto for abuses of power, which to some extent received its full support at the time they took place.
"It would have been graceful if Golkar had declared its regret for what it did in the past," commented Hadimulyo of the United Development Party (PPP). "But that's a new development which deserves acknowledgement," he added in reference to Golkar's changed stance.
Ironically, it was the PPP that apologized to the people, a move which mocked Golkar's stubborn unwillingness to do the same.
"With our all heart, we apologize to the people for our failure to fight the cruel regime in the past," PPP spokesman Fahri Hamzah told the session.
After all five factions had approved the package of draft decrees to go forward to the deliberation forum, the MPR split the 986 attending members into five commissions to begin working on the drafts from Thursday.
Commission A will deliberate a proposal to lift a seven-month- old decree which grants extraordinary powers to the president. All the factions agreed that such a decree encouraged violations of the law and said the Constitution already provided the president with all the powers he or she needs to ensure a strong government.
The commission will also work on a proposal to limit the presidential and vice presidential terms of office to a maximum of two. If passed, it would mark a happy end to years of struggle by the two opposition political parties -- the PPP and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- both of which campaigned for this for much of the duration of the authoritarian New Order regime.
PPP proposed a similar draft in the 1978 general session, but the motion was rejected by Golkar. The Moslem-based party and the PDI continued to raise the issue in all subsequent elections.
The controversial draft decree on elections will also be discussed by the commission.
Marwah was named chairperson the 195-member commission, with Freddy Latumahina of Golkar, Agusfian Wahab of the regional representatives faction, Muhammad Buang of the PPP, Vice Marshal Tamtama Adi of the ABRI faction and Bambang Mintoko of the PDI appointed as his deputy chairmen.
Commission B will be in charge of amending the MPR's internal rules and a proposal to lift the 1983 MPR decree requiring a national referendum before making amendments to the 1945 Constitution.
Zain Badjeber of the PPP will lead the 167-strong commission. He will be assisted by fellow PPP representative Danial Tandjung, G.P.B.H. Joyohadikusumo of Golkar, Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar of ABRI and Idi Siswoyo of the PDI.
Commission C will deliberate the draft decree on development reform guidelines, which will replace the State Policy Guideline adopted during the March 1998 general session. The guidelines were to have applied until 2003.
The assembly also agreed to assign the 230-strong commission to study a PPP-sponsored proposal to investigate the wealth of former president Soeharto, his family and cronies.
Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Widodo A.S. was named as the commission's chairman and Muchsin Bafadal of the PPP, Maj. Gen. Achmadi of ABRI, Mahadi Sinambela of Golkar, Clara Marion Sitompul of the PDI and Frans A. Wospakrik of the regional representatives faction were named as deputy chairpersons.
Commission D will deliberate the draft decree on regional autonomy and the draft decree on politics in a democratic economy. Businessman Yusuf Kalla of the regional representatives faction will chair the 206-member commission, with Fadel Muhammad of Golkar, Maj. Gen. Rusdi Roesdiharjo of ABRI, Sebastian Massardy Kaphat of the PDI and Syaiful Anwar Hoesein of the PPP named as the deputy chairmen.
Commission E will deliberate the draft decree on human rights and the draft decree which will lift the 1978 Assembly decree on the Propagation and Implementation of Pancasila.
PPP sponsored draft decrees on a democratic economy and on human rights in the Assembly's March general session, but the decrees were blocked by the ruling Golkar faction.
It also agreed that Commission E, comprising of 178 members, will deliberate the decree on freedom of information. Maj. Namoeri Anoem of ABRI was appointed as the commission's chairman, while Sri Haryati Anwar Datuk of the PDI, Slamet Effendy Yusuf of Golkar, Ali Hardi Kiaidemak of the PPP and noted ulema Cholil Bisri of the regional representatives faction were named as his deputies. (team)