Bill on lawmaking procedures passed

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta

The House of Representatives (DPR) endorsed on Monday the bill on lawmaking procedures, with all nine factions agreeing to place the 1945 Constitution in the State Archive.

Previously, Golkar Party, the biggest faction of the House, insisted that the bill could not regulate the newly amended 1945 Constitution as the latter's position was higher than law.

It had also argued that the Constitution could not be treated as ordinary law. All laws are placed in the State Archive when they take effect.

On Monday, however, Golkar's spokesman for the bill's deliberation J.M. Nailiu told a House plenary meeting that his party had finally agreed to place the Constitution in the State Archive.

He did not explain his party's change of mind.

The government, represented by acting minister of justice and human rights Attorney General M.A. Rahman, accepted the approved bill from the House.

Other factions that deliberated the bill were the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, the United Development Party (PPP) faction, the Reform faction, the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, the Indonesian Military/Police Faction, the Crescent and Star Party (PBB) faction, the Ummat Sovereignty (FKU) faction and the Nationhood (FKKI) faction.

Besides the final agreement over the placement of the 1945 Constitution in the State Archive, the bill also provides the public at large with greater access to the legislative deliberation process at all levels of government.

Agustin Teras Narang, chairman of the House Commission II overseeing home affairs, said the bill also stated that the hierarchy of laws in Indonesia was: the Constitution, the law or governmental regulations in lieu of the law, governmental regulations, presidential regulations and regional administration regulations.

He said regional administration regulations consisted of provincial regulations, regental/municipal regulations and village regulations.

The TNI/Police faction spokesman Jasri Marin said socialization and preparations should be made in villages so that village administration officials would not be confused over the procedure to make rulings.

During the final session, the House also agreed to propose the bill on the revision of Law No. 31/1997 on military courts.