Dissolation of Interest Group faction gains more momentum

Dissolation of Interest Group faction gains more momentum

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The presence of the Interest Group faction in the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) has created a double representation
and therefore must be scrapped, National Awakening Party (PKB)
legislator Ali Masykur Musa said on Friday.

Citing as an example the country's biggest Muslim-based
organization Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), Ali said the group was
represented by PKB legislators elected in general elections as
well as MPR members representing the NU in the Interest Group
faction.

"I think it is better if the Interest Group is dismissed,"
said Ali, who is also secretary of the MPR ad hoc committee in
charge of the fourth and last phase of constitutional amendment
(PAH I).

PKB, which finished fourth in the 1999 general election, was
set up earlier in 1999 as the official political vehicle for NU
members, which is currently estimated to stand at 40 million.

The third amendment last year had endorsed the establishment
of a Regional Representatives Council (DPD), the creation of
which would be regulated by the fourth and last phase of
amendment process which is expected to be endorsed in August when
MPR members convene for their annual meeting.

The third amendment implies that Indonesia would adopt a
bicameral system in which all representatives are directly
elected. Currently, members of the Interest Group faction are
nominated by their groups, but endorsed by the National Election
Commission.

There are currently 65 Interest Group faction members in the
MPR representing, among others, the business community, farmers,
and religious organizations.

The Interest Group faction members said earlier that they
would seek a review of the third set of constitutional amendments
that were endorsed in November.

"We are for the amendment, but we disagree with some of the
changes that were made in November," Interest Group faction
chairman Harun Kamil said on Wednesday.

Noted human rights activist Bambang Widjojanto backed the call
and urged members of Interest Group factions to join or set up
separate political parties.

"In foreign countries, people from interest groups join in or
create a political party to voice their aspirations," Bambang
said.

The existence of a green party or a labor party (in many
European countries), for example, voiced the aspirations of
environmentalists or workers respectively, Bambang said.

Several countries that also have appointed members in their
legislative body are in the process of altering the system.

Constitutional expert Hendra Nur Cahyo suggested that there
should be a new system of recruitment for the Interest Group.

"Members of the Interest Group should be chosen through a
general election," Hendra said without giving any details of how
such an election would be carried out.

Meanwhile, Siswono Yudhohusodo, a member of the Interest Group
faction, insisted that the faction must be maintained because not
all sectors of society were represented in the MPR.