Councils want law to recall members

Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The Association of Provincial Legislative Councils ended its two-day congress in Yogyakarta with a call for the reinstatement of political laws that allow political parties to fire or withdraw "rogue" members from legislatures.

The congress concluded on Saturday, but its official recommendations were only made available to the media on Monday.

Affandi, a deputy speaker of Yogyakarta's provincial legislative council, said the reinstatement of the laws was crucial to allow for the control of legislators involved in corruption scandals.

"We have had some instances where the reputation of a legislative council has been tarnished by the practices of our fellow legislators. At the same time, there is no political tool to control (the legislators)," he said on Sunday.

As an example, he cited a bribery scandal surrounding the Jogja Expo Center project allegedly involving local provincial legislators, which in turn tainted the entire council and its work.

Political parties have lost some control over their legislators since five 1985 political laws were revoked after former dictator Soeharto stepped down in 1998.

Under the 1985 laws, political parties were authorized to recall legislators. However, the laws were often used to recall outspoken legislators, such as Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the United Development Party (PPP).

Because of the abuse of the laws by the Soeharto regime to silence politicians critical of the government, they were scrapped after Soeharto fell from power.

Under the current political laws, which were enacted in 1999, legislators can only be replaced by their parties if they resign, die or are convicted of a crime.

The congress also recommended the establishment of a legislative honor board and a code of ethics for legislators in order to enforce the internal controls over them.

Also, the congress urged the central government to clarify the roles of provincial governments and legislative councils in autonomous regions.

The congress also voted to retain the speaker of Jakarta's provincial legislative council, Edy Waluyo, as the leader of the 30-member association for another one-year term.

He will be assisted by three new deputies -- the speaker of Yogyakarta's legislative council, Surasmo Priyandono, the speaker of Bali's legislative council, Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa, and the speaker of North Sumatra's legislative council, Bachtiar Sonar Siregar.

The association was established in November 2000 in Jakarta, with the goal of improving the performance of the 30 provincial legislative councils.