Beware of public apathy toward MPR Session

Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A political analyst warned on Thursday that the public could prove to be apathetic toward the upcoming Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), saying bribery among politicians would erode the credibility of the session's outcome.

Political analyst Indria Samego of the Center for Information and Development Studies (Cides) said the public had become used to widespread corruption among the political elite.

But when asked what the public could do to help make MPR members accountable, Indria replied: "Not much".

"People are tired of politics, they're apathetic, they probably think the entire process (of democracy) just cannot be made to move faster," he said after a discussion on political and economic conditions ahead of the MPR Annual Session, slated for next month.

The MPR is the country's highest law-making body consisting of legislators of the House of Representatives and functional group representatives from the regions and interest groups.

From Aug. 1 to Aug. 10, the Assembly will meet with the main objectives of finalizing amendments to the 1945 Constitution and hearing President Megawati Soekarnoputri's progress report after her first year in power.

Indria said the MPR was the most legitimate forum for the country's numerous political forces to reposition their power.

But the struggle for power, or what he called the "allocation of authoritative values", has led to the trading of votes for money.

Judging from the present political picture, he said, the country's ruling party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), will have to work hard to ensure its chairwoman President Megawati has an easy ride during the 10-day session.

"It's not surprising that over the last few weeks we've heard of lobbying and various informal meetings among parties taking place with the aim of adverting tension ahead of the Annual Session," Indria said.

Functional groups, which no longer exist based on the ongoing amendment talks, will likely hamper efforts to finalize the amendment process, he said.

Meanwhile, PDI Perjuangan will seek ways to pacify critics of Megawati once she reads out her performance report. Critics have lambasted the President for failing to stick to the reform agenda.

So far PDI Perjuangan has managed to ensure that the MPR session will accept a progress report by Megawati and not insist on accountability.

Accountability could pave the way for an impeachment process, even though this procedure does not exist under the law.

Golkar, the second largest party, remains mired in allegations over past abuses. Analysts said that of immediate concern to Golkar was the need to repair its image after its chairman, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, was named a graft suspect.

Golkar will likely want other parties to dismiss any new allegations implicating Golkar members in corruption, according to Indria.

The United Development Party (PPP) is facing internal problems, and factions within the party will likely jostle for the support of other parties.

Amid all this, Indria questioned whether public interest would be represented at all during the MPR session.

To fund the 10-day MPR session, the government has allotted some Rp 19.8 billion (about US$2.2 million), for which the public will expect the MPR to pass credible laws and decisions, Indria said.

He added that to be considered a success, the MPR session had to pass laws that were applicable. It must also finalize amendments to the Constitution.