DPD member complains of limited power
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A Regional Representatives Council (DPD) member from Jakarta complained on Monday he and three other DPD members had little power to exert change in the capital despite the fact they had been directly elected by the city's residents.
"We have met with five city mayors to discuss lingering issues including flooding, waste and toll road problems. Unfortunately, we have made no significant changes mainly due to the lack of power we have," DPD member Marwan Batubara said during a seminar organized by the University of Indonesia's School of Law.
Marwan, who says he has visited with residents in Penjaringan in North Jakarta, Cakung in East Jakarta, and Pancoran and Pesanggrahan in South Jakarta to discuss their needs and wishes, said the DPD had so little authority "it is up to the city administration whether or not to take our considerations seriously".
He also said DPD members themselves had such divergent stances on some issues that it was almost impossible to reach a consensus.
He cited a recent proposal floated by two of the city's four DPD members for the establishment of representative councils at the municipal and regency levels.
"Two other DPD members opposed the idea on the grounds that it would force the city administration to dig deeper into the coffers amid glaring human resources and financial constraints," he said.
Jakarta, a city of some nine million people, has five mayoralties and one regency.
Besides Marwan, the three other Jakarta DPD members are Sarwono Kusumaatmaja, Mooryati Soedibyo and Biem Triani Benyamin.
Legal expert Sri Soemantri, who is also a professor at the University of Indonesia's School of Law, agreed with Marwan.
"Although the DPD members have strong support because they were directly elected by residents, compared to members of the House of Representatives or City Council, they have limited power under prevailing regulations," Soemantri said.
According to the Constitution, the DPD's role is limited to offering suggestions during the deliberation of bills dealing with regional administrations. Some DPD members have sought to amend the Constitution to give DPD members a greater say in the deliberation of bills.
"Instead of seeking to amend the Constitution, which would surely be opposed by the House, it would be better for the DPD to look for alternatives, for instance, drafting internal guidelines that give members more leeway to play a greater role for the public," he said.
Bivitri Susanti from the Center for Law and Policy Studies agreed with Soematri, saying the DPD should seek alternatives to upgrade its role instead of focusing on efforts to win greater authority by amending the Constitution.
"The DPD could learn from the U.S. Senate, whose well-managed supporting resources manage to maintain intensive contact with their constituents and respective administrations," Bivitri said.