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