Calls to defer amendments grow

Calls to defer amendments grow

JAKARTA (JP): Calls to postpone the consideration of
constitutional amendments to a more "appropriate" time are
growing as many argue that the nation is currently still too
unsettled to deal with such fundamental changes to the 1945
Constitution.

An alliance of Muslim, Catholic, Protestant and Hindu student
organizations said they were very disappointed with the quarrels
and politicking going on at the Annual Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly.

They charged that fundamental issues in the Constitution were
being comprised in the debate as a result of individual political
interests.

"We are very disappointed with the politicking involved in the
Annual Session. Amendment of the constitution is too high a price
to pay just to satisfy the political parties' conflicting
interests," said Syaiful Bahri Anshori, chairman of the Muslim
Youth Organization (PMII).

"Stop amending the constitution as it looks likely to lead to
a worsening of the national situation," he said speaking to
journalists here on Saturday.

Syaiful said that now is an inappropriate time for the
Assembly to make fundamental decisions as to the state's founding
principles, ideology and institutions, while political and ethnic
conflict continues to rage.

"How can the Assembly make fundamental changes concerning the
nation's future while people in Aceh, Maluku and North Maluku are
killing one another. A majority of the people are also feeling
angry and hungry because they are jobless while the economic
crisis continues to decimate their lives," he said.

Adhyaksa, chairman of the Indonesian Youth Committee (KNPI),
concurred and warned that the present situation will worsen if
the Assembly and other state institutions do not pay serious
attention to the economic crisis, the conflicts raging in several
provinces and the absence of legal certainty.

He said the Assembly should postpone amending the constitution
and instead focus on how to deal with the unsettled conditions.

"The Assembly, as the highest institution of state, must be
capable of encouraging all branches of the state, including the
government, to undertake total reform so as to create a new
Indonesia," he said.

Adhyaksa also called on the Assembly and the government to
take steps to strengthen the middle class so as to promote
change.

Similar concerns have also been conveyed by some Assembly
members who have noted the "gap" with the Assembly seeming to be
preoccupied with its own world while ignoring the critical
realities faced by the people.

Lt. Gen. Achmad Rustandi, chairman of the Indonesian
Military/National Police faction in the House of Representatives,
said the annual session's agenda has yet to address the real
conditions and the serious problems faced by the nation and
people.

"Most legislators have focused their attention on power and
the planned cabinet reshuffle. They forget that they sit here to
uphold the people's sovereignty. And the Assembly has yet to come
up with the necessary policies and decisions to address the
people's grievances," he said.

Achmad also supported the call for amendments to be deferred
as there are many sensitive and crucial issues which need to be
thoroughly debated first.

He said the annual session has yet to really attract the
people's attention because it has yet to touch their daily needs.

"I'm sure a majority of the people do not care about the
amendments to the constitution, the preparation of draft decrees
and the political issues being debated during the Annual Session
because what they need is a better life and circumstances whereby
they can work under conditions of security," he said.

Jacob Tobing, chairman of the Assembly's Commission A
preparing the constitutional amendments stressed the importance
of setting up a team of experts to help the Assembly amend the
constitution.

"The constitution contains many crucial things and they should
be entrusted to constitutional experts for deliberation," he
said.

Al Amien Kraying, chairman of the Forum for Alumni of the
Indonesian Nationalist Student Association (GMNI), said the
Annual Session has failed to adopt policies or take decisions to
solve national problems.

"The annual session looks likely to fail in promoting
solidarity among all the nation's components so that the problems
the nation is facing may be solved," he said. (rms)