Desperate legislators seek human rights body's help

JAKARTA (JP): Learning that their recent complaints over the heavy load of so many government-sponsored bills to be processed have been ignored, legislators of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction asked yesterday for a helping hand from the National Commission on Human Rights.

One legislator, Budi Hardjono, pleaded that the commission ask the government to arrange a more proportional distribution of bills submitted for deliberation by the House in the next five- year session.

"We should have refused to deliberate some of the bills, or at least asked the government to delay the discussions because of the very short time left," Budi told commission member Sugiri yesterday.

"We will sacrifice the development of the national legal system if we endorse a bill too easily. Besides, this will reinforce the House's poor image as a rubber stamp body," he added.

The PDI faction was preparing a response to the bill on military tribunals submitted by the government last month. Sugiri was invited as a source of information.

As of this week, the 500-strong House of Representatives is to deliberate and pass 18 more bills before they complete their five-year terms on Sept. 30.

In between, most of the legislators will be on leave for several weeks to prepare for the general election campaign next month. The House will resume sessions only after the May 29 polls.

Krissantono of the dominant Golkar faction said earlier that last minute work had become a trend, at least in the last three periods.

Budi said that PDI legislators had to work simultaneously on three or four bills recently, citing the minor party's limited human resources. Only two-thirds of the 56 PDI legislators are active, he added.

"This is a serious matter for us, but maybe not for a big organization like Golkar and the Armed Forces faction who work under a single command," Budi said.

Budi said hasty deliberations would only lead to the production of laws which invite fierce opposition from the public.

He cited the 1992 Traffic Law. The government issued a presidential decree to delay the enforcement of the law for a year following harsh reaction from the public.

Sugiri said he would relay the PDI's complaint to the leadership of the human rights body.

"We understand your problem, but it will be all up to the commission members whether to take it into consideration or not," he said. (amd)