Big parties want to reduce DPD's role

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: The six biggest political parties in the House of Representatives have agreed to reduce the number of provincial representatives and increase the number of House members to be elected in the upcoming general election.

According to the secretary-general of the Golkar Party, Budi Harsono, the number of provincial representatives would be reduced from the initial target of four people per province to only three.

Meanwhile, the number of House members would be increased from the planned 550 to between 600 and 700 legislators.

"Based on the third and fourth amendments to the 1945 Constitution, the duties of the Provincial Representatives' Council (DPD) are very light, and their legislative functions and tasks are still vague. We are afraid it would only create another problem if too many were elected," he said.

The six biggest political parties that have agreed on the proposed reduction in DPD membership are the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), and the Crescent Star Party (PBB). -- Antara