Commission may add MPR seats
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The ad hoc Constitutional Commission assigned with assessing the amended Constitution sprang a surprise on Tuesday when it proposed more seats for the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).
Saying the move was aimed at empowering the bicameral legislative system, the commission suggested that the DPD represent each regency/municipality and each province across the country.
The country has 416 regencies/municipalities and 32 provinces.
"We think there is unequal power in the current bicameral system between the House of Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council. We have to balance it," commission member Dahlan Thaib told a plenary meeting.
The larger the DPD, the stronger its bargaining power in legislation and supervision duties.
"The configuration of DPD members will reflect the sovereignty of the people," he said.
This would, of course, increase the number of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) legislators from the current 700 to about 996.
The amended Constitution stipulates that the total number of DPD members must not exceed one-third of the number of the House. It suggests that each province be represented by four people.
The General Elections Commission is likely to increase the number of House legislators to 550 in the 2004 polls from 500 in the previous election in 1999.
In line with the Constitution, there should be 128 DPD members elected in 2004 at the most.
DPD only has legislative powers regarding regional autonomy.
It is feared that increasing the number of DPD members would justify the House ignoring the aspirations of the people.
Commission deputy chairman Albert Hasibuan acknowledged that the imbalance between the House and the Council had created problems.
He said the Constitutional Commission had intended to empower the DPD. "We will push for the creation of a true bicameral system," he added.
With the existence of a powerful House and DPD, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) would no longer be a permanent body, but simply a joint session.
Albert said the Assembly's functions and tasks could be carried out by other institutions.
Article 3 of the amended Constitution says the tasks of the Assembly are making constitutional amendments, inaugurating presidents and vice presidents, and impeachment when required.
Constitutional amendments, for example, can be carried out by a constitutional commission preceded by a national referendum. The Supreme Court can inaugurate presidents and vice presidents while impeachments can be heard by the Constitutional Court, whose ruling would be final and binding.
Meanwhile, DPD deputy chairman Ishak Latuconsina said the commission members were still debating their method of work.
Some commission members proposed that the commission assess the amended Constitution article by article, while others demanded an assessment per subject.