Call for MPR reform gets positive response

Call for MPR reform gets positive response

JAKARTA (JP): The latest call for the highest law making body,
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), to be more active
received a positive response from a senior official of the body
yesterday.

Soerjadi, one of the MPR deputy chiefs, said that the law-
making body should convene not only once every five years as has
been practiced over the past three decades, but should meet more
frequently to discuss major state problems.

"I personally think issues like the growing public demand for
democracy and prompt actions to narrow the gap between the rich
and the poor are worth addressing at the moment," said the deputy
in charge of economic affairs.

The latest call for the Assembly, which cynics have branded as
a rubber stamp institution for its perceived eagerness to endorse
government policies, came from respected political analyst
Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo last week.

Sayidiman argued that the 1,000-seat Assembly, which is also
in charge of electing a president, should convene at least twice
a year to ensure greater presidential accountability.

The MPR assembles every five years to deliberate the
guidelines of state policy, review laws on politics and elect a
president.

The MPR, which is dominated by politicians from the ruling
Golkar party, is scheduled to assemble in 1998.

Soerjadi stressed, however, that the Assembly should convene
only to discuss truly urgent state matters because to call such a
meeting would involve complicated and costly procedures.

"There should be no problem with meeting more than once every
five years because the law states that the Assembly should
convene 'at least once in every five years'", said the legislator
from the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Proposals for the MPR and the House of Representatives to be
more active hit a brick wall because of their notoriously
complicated in-house rules.

For instance, to be able to propose a bill or amend a law, a
political faction should have the support of other (rival)
factions.

Critics have often targeted the MPR's working group for its
lack of initiative in defending the interests of the people.
(pan)