Assembly likely to drop internal rule review

Assembly likely to drop internal rule review

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) looked
almost certain yesterday to dismiss a proposal to change its
internal rules, pending overnight deliberation in each of its
five factions.

The rules apply, among other things, to the members' rights
and obligations, the size of membership, members' immunity from
prosecution and meeting procedures.

Chairman of the Assembly's ad hoc committee in charge of the
internal rules deliberation, Wiranto, said the session yesterday
failed to decide on the United Development Party (PPP) faction's
demand for the Assembly to declare every ad hoc committee session
open to the public.

The current internal rules state that ad hoc committee
sessions are to be held behind closed doors, but the Assembly
could declare them open.

The committee also delayed deliberation on the PPP and the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) factions' motion for the
establishment of MPR decrees on a clean government. This
particular issue is not related to the motion for changes in the
internal rules.

Wiranto, who is also Army Chief of Staff, hailed the committee
members for their cooperativeness in the session which discussed
42 suggestions for changes.

"I deeply appreciate all the factions for (seeking) to solve
any problem in the spirit of harmony," Wiranto said.

After a brief lobbying session early in the meeting, all of
the factions agreed not to change stipulations on membership of
the Assembly working committee, the number of factions and the
working committee's jobs.

Both the PPP and PDI had demanded earlier an increase in the
number of committee members from the current 90 to 100, with
equal voting rights. Only half of the committee members have
voting rights, according to the current internal rules.

The minority parties also saw their proposal to unite the
regional representatives with legislators representing various
professions and mass organizations into one faction rejected.

Yesterday's session dropped PDI's bid to extend the term of
office of working committee members to five years to allow them
to prepare drafts of state policy guidelines for the next general
session.

But all five factions agreed to take note of the PDI's
proposal in the Assembly's report.

Autonomy

In a separate session deliberating state policy guidelines,
the PPP urged the Assembly to focus on the empowerment of
regional authorities if the government was to go on with its plan
to establish regional autonomy.

"Autonomy will take shape if local governments are provided
with the authority to coordinate and combine the planning,
implementation and control of development programs in their
respective territories," PPP spokesman Alimarwan Hanan told the
session presided over by R. Hartono.

Alimarwan said regional autonomy would include management of
finances, although the government should maintain its assistance
taken from the state budget.

"That's why our faction finds it urgent (that we) establish a
law on financial balances which regulate the distribution of
funds raised by local governments," Alimaran said.

The Moslem-oriented faction also suggested fair allocation of
projects to help local people enhance their economic resources
and reduce their financial dependence on the government.

The PDI supported PPP's bid to set up regulations which ensure
fair distribution of government and regional revenues.

The Golkar faction said Indonesia should pay more attention to
environment conservation and rehabilitation in the next five-year
development program.

The faction's spokeswoman Pratiwi Sudharmono said all efforts
should be sought, including the use of clean technology without
sacrificing economic, social, cultural and legal principles.

Deliberations on the possibility to exclude a non-denomination
faith from religious development programs looks set to highlight
the session today. (amd)