DPR, DPD power imbalances may provoke separatism

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A disparity in the power wielded by the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) could fuel separatism in the regions, analysts have said.

Denny Indrayana of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta and Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia also said on Thursday the bicameral parliamentary system the country just adopted was only symbolic.

"In the future, people in the regions will conclude that the DPD does not represent them. This will provoke resistance in the regions and could affect the country's unity," Denny told The Jakarta Post here on Thursday.

Denny and Arbi were commenting on the newly passed bill on the composition of legislative bodies, which gives the House more power than the DPD, a newly formed legislative institution.

According to the new bill, the country's highest legislative body, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), will be made up of the House and the representatives council, whose members will be elected directly.

The bill, which the House endorsed on Wednesday, limits the role of the DPD to providing input on bills related to regional government.

The newly endorsed bill, which will automatically become law 30 days after approval by the House, also stipulates that under the bicameral system, the House will have 550 members, while the number of DPD members will not exceed one-third the number of House members. It is expected that there will be four DPD members from each province.

The bicameral system was introduced to appease regions disappointed with the central government and to neutralize secessionist movements.

Denny expressed fear people in the regions would express their dissatisfaction with the system by clamoring for independence should the House ignores the aspirations of the people.

He said the establishment of the DPD was designed to accommodate the aspirations of the regions.

However, the DPD will be unable to do this because of its limited powers, he said.

"People will be more disappointed because the implementation of regional autonomy has not been effective," he said.

The government introduced regional autonomy on Jan. 1, 2001, giving more authority to regional administrations to develop and regulate their own affairs.

Denny said the implementation of regional autonomy had not led to the regions getting a fair share of the revenue from the exploitation of their natural resources.