Beware of public apathy toward MPR Session

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.