Assembly to vote on constitutional amendment

Assembly to vote on constitutional amendment

JAKARTA (JP): The General Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly will likely have to vote on constitutional amendments on
the issue of a direct presidential election and the general
election system as committees have failed to reach a consensus on
the contentious items.

Slamet Effendy Yusuf, who chaired the Adhoc Committee for
constitutional amendments, admitted at the end of meetings on
Wednesday that no agreement had been reached on the issues.

Apart from those two issues, the question of the Assembly's
composition is another subject which will likely go to a vote.

"We hope that the formulation of the alternatives for these
amendment can be completed by mid-July," Slamet, a Golkar Party
legislator, said, stressing that the available options should
also be familiarized to the public before the start of the
General Session, scheduled for Aug. 7.

Amendments must have the support of two-thirds of the 700-
member Assembly to be passed.

On presidential elections, the 1999 poll winner, the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), is the
main party holding back from a direct presidential election.

Currently, the president and vice president are elected by the
Assembly.

Slamet said there were alternative suggestions: that two
presidential candidates could first be chosen by the Assembly
before allowing the people to choose between the two.

Meanwhile, on the general election system, Assembly members
seem at odds on the means in which a House or Assembly member is
elected.

On the question of the Assembly's composition, a majority of
the factions seem to favor that it comprise only of House of
Representative members and regional representatives.

"But some factions are still insistent that the Indonesian
Military (TNI)/Police be given seats in the Assembly," Slamet
explained.

Among the amendments that have been agreed upon is an
insertion of a chapter on human rights and a free and fair
general election.

The chapter on human rights acknowledges universal principles
but also their uniqueness to situations in Indonesia. (jun)