DPR, DPD power imbalances may provoke separatism
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.