Assembly gears up for Annual Session

Assembly gears up for Annual Session

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is gearing up for its
Annual Session due to start on Aug. 1 and end on Aug. 10.

The 10-day session will discuss, among other things, the
establishment of the Constitutional Court, the revocation of over
100 obsolete MPR decrees issued between 1960 and 2002, and the
annual report of state institutions.

At least 638 journalists working for both domestic and foreign
media have already registered to cover the session.

Assembly secretary-general Rahimullah said on Wednesday the
event would cost Rp 20 billion (US$2.35 million) and the Ministry
of Finance's director for budget had already approved the budget.

Rahimullah, however, refused to give details of the fund
allotment, saying that the issue would be discussed on July 22.

He said the fund would be allocated for five main areas --
security, accommodation, travel, materials, and official staff.

Asked whether the Assembly secretary-general would ask for
more security personnel to safeguard the session, Rahimullah said
the issue would be discussed on Thursday between Assembly
leaders, the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, Jakarta
Governor Sutiyoso, and Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul
Padmanegara.

An MPR ad hoc committee deliberating the revocation of the
Assembly decrees was still debating on Wednesday 139 obsolete
decrees issued between 1960 and 2002.

During the discussion, the ad hoc committee invited several
experts who agreed on the whole that even though the decrees had
not been revoked many of them were no longer effective.

The experts also debated whether or not MPR decree No.25/1966
banning communism should be revoked.

Following the adoption of the bill on direct presidential and
vice presidential elections, an MPR decree on the mechanism of
presidential and vice presidential election by the MPR will
surely be revoked during the Annual Session.

Meanwhile, a source said the 700 MPR members would stay at the
five-star Mulia Hotel, close to the Assembly building, during the
sessions. Each of the members would receive Rp 150,000 per day in
attendance money.

Unlike the previous four Annual sessions, this year's
gathering will not discuss amendments to the Constitution.

It is still unclear whether the upcoming Annual Session will
be the last for the current MPR.