Empower the House: Political observers

Empower the House: Political observers

JAKARTA (JP): Political parties should concentrate on
empowering the House of Representatives (DPR) to improve the
check-and-balance system in the post-elections bureaucracy,
political observers said on Monday.

In a discussion on the country's post-general election
political format, Syamsuddin Haris of the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences (LIPI) and Kusnanto Anggoro of the Center for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS) warned that a weak legislature
could allow the return of an authoritarian regime.

"A strong House is needed to uphold people's sovereignty and
to create an accountable government," Syamsuddin said.

Kusnanto termed as "loose" the recent creation of an alliance
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party
(PAN).

He also said the alliance was "temporary" in nature and that a
more important issue was how the parties should agree on the
creation of an accountable government as well as a strong House.

"At the end of the day, all must get back to address the
nation's fundamental problems, like the constitutional amendments
and accountability of higher state bodies to the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR)," Kusnanto said.

The nation's political format will depend greatly on the post-
elections "legislative politics", he said.

Syamsuddin concurred, warning of the return of an autocratic
regime if major political parties in the House failed to take up
the agenda.

"Reform parties need to set up a kind of common political
platform, so that the targets of their 'coalition' won't end up
fighting for the presidential seat," he said.

On previous occasions, PAN chairman Amien Rais, PDI Perjuangan
chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and PKB founder Abdurrahman
"Gus Dur" Wahid expressed optimism they would win the
presidential race.

Last week, incumbent President B.J. Habibie -- whom some
observers dub a mere continuation of the Soeharto regime --
also staked his claim to the presidency with major support from
the Golkar Party.

Under the 1945 Constitution, the president is elected by the
People's Consultative Assembly by vote.

In the June 7 general election, 48 political parties will vie
for 462, or 66 percent, of 700 DPR/MPR seats.

Under present political laws, the remaining 34 percent of the
seats are allocated for the military and police (38 seats or 5.4
percent), representatives from 27 provinces (165 seats or 19.3
percent) and representatives from societal groups (65 seats or
9.3 percent).

Syamsuddin predicted that only 10 political parties would be
able to obtain enough votes for DPR seats and most parties would
fail to secure the minimum votes.

The parties are PDI Perjuangan, PKB, PAN, the United
Development Party (PPP), Golkar, the Crescent Star Party (PBB),
Justice Party (PK), the Justice and Unity Party (PKP), the
Indonesian Christian National Party (Krisna) and either one of
the "small" parties such as the Muslim Community Awakening Party
(PKU), the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU), the People's Sovereignty
Party (PDR) or the Islamic Community Party (PUI).

Of post-elections politics, Kusnanto predicted that the House
and the People's Consultative Assembly would be more dynamic.

Some observers predict the coming legislature could play
bigger political roles under the new 1998 law on legislative
bodies. (aan)