Factions agree on presidential vote, differ on sharia
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Sharia remained a crucial issue on Tuesday when Commission A at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) failed to reach an agreement on the matter, with several factions demanding the inclusion of the seven-word phrase from the Jakarta Charter in Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution.
All 12 factions on the other hand agreed on a second runoff in the presidential election.
Vice President Hamzah Haz meanwhile called on legislators to avoid voting on the crucial issue of religion.
"Whether or not the Jakarta Charter is included in the Constitution, legislators must avoid voting," Hamzah was quoted as saying by Najamuddin Ramli, chairman of the Sulawesi Youth Front (FPSI), after a meeting at the vice presidential palace on Tuesday.
Hamzah, who is also PPP chairman, appealed to the factions who insisted on the adoption of sharia (Islamic law) to be aware of political realities. He was referring to the significant opposition to sharia.
Three Islamic-based factions, the United Development Party (PPP), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), and the Daulatul Ummah Party (PDU), insisted that sharia be included in the Constitution.
Seven factions, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar, National Awakening Party (PKB), Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), Indonesian Nationhood Coalition (KKI), the Regional Representatives, and the Indonesian Military/National Police (TNI/Polri), rejected the proposal.
Meanwhile Brig. Gen. Kohirin Suganda of the TNI/Polri faction reminded the nation of the need for thorough preparations for the second runoff in the presidential election.
"We, the military, are ready to encourage democracy. A direct presidential election will reinforce the current presidential system and improve public participation," he added.
However he warned that "a direct presidential election is a new thing for the nation. We appeal to the whole nation to minimize the excessive impacts that may result from it."
He added that the impacts of the implementation of a direct presidential election should be taken into account as it could seriously affect the economy.
Tuesday's relatively smooth deliberations did not, however, guarantee smooth process of the amendments as fears remain that the "antiamendment" camp will disrupt the final deliberations to determine whether or not to endorse the fourth amendment on Friday.
Fears of interruptions aimed at deliberately delaying or even thwarting the amendment process were voiced by, among others, deputy secretary-general of Golkar faction Rully Chairul Azwar.
Other issues to be deliberated are the adoption of moral advancement in national education and the scrapping of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA).