Bill on legislature reaches House

JAKARTA: The House of Representatives (DPR) announced on Wednesday that it had received the bill on the composition of the legislative bodies from the government for further discussion.

House deputy speaker Tosari Widjaja, who presided over a plenary session on Wednesday, said that the House Steering Committee would later set up team and arrange a schedule for the bill's deliberation.

"We will let the Steering Committee follow up on the bill," Tosari told the plenary session.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri said in a letter addressed to House leaders that she had assigned Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno to represent the government during the deliberation process.

The bill on the composition of the legislative bodies will be used as a legal basis for the 2004 elections. The bills on political parties and the general elections are currently before the House.

Another bill, this time on the procedures for direct presidential and vice presidential elections, is being prepared by the home ministry. -- JP