Empowerment of DPR

Empowerment of DPR

From Kompas"

The title of an article in Kompas on July 21 (page 14) read: Empowerment of the House of Representatives needed to make it equal with other institutions. It was reported that Prof. Dr. Sri Sumantri, a constitutional law expert, said in a panel discussion on "Thoughts regarding the Amendment to the Draft of Internal Regulations of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia" that no high institution of the state is of a higher position than another. Why does the House of Representatives (DPR) need empowering? The House of Representatives is of equal position and equal footing with other high institutions of the state, including the president (the executive). How is this (empowerment of the House) to be implemented in reality? Must this be done pursuant to the internal regulations of the House of Representatives?

I do not share Prof. Dr. Sumantri's opinion that standing orders of the House should be used in the case of House empowerment. Besides, I also do not agree with experts who are of the opinion that our House of Representatives is not capable of performing its tasks. If we question the qualifications of House members, then the same thing must also be applied to members of other high institutions of the state.

Is it true that the quality of the president's (the executive's) assistants, namely the ministers, is higher than that of House members? Why do most ministers (the president's assistants) present bills only near the end of their tenure so that bills pile up at the House of Representatives? Don't these ministers have enough experts and funds at their disposal?

Our perennial question is: Why doesn't the House of Representatives use its right of initiative and inquiry? The answer is that initiative (in putting forward proposals) is not necessary because many proposals from the government have not been thoroughly dealt with yet. Aren't government (ministers) or management of state-owned companies cadres of the ruling Golkar faction? Then, who are the House members? Isn't it true that Golkar holds the single majority?

I once heard this story: "Dad, I would like to work on our plot of land in the north. I would like to grow vegetables there." The father replied: "It's not necessary for you to work that plot of land in the north. We can't even work together on the plot of land that I've been working on." I finally took my father's advice. He makes arrangements for my life and also feeds me.

TASMAN SGK

Jakarta