Factions want bill deliberation open to public
JAKARTA (JP): In response to recent criticism, factions at the House of Representatives passed a motion on Wednesday to have its Working Committee deliberate the political bills in open session.
Djufrie Asmoredjo of the United Development Party (PPP) said his faction agreed to have the sessions open to the public so progress or lack of it could be monitored directly.
"That is no problem, as we are ready to deliberate the bills in open session," he told The Jakarta Post during a break in the deliberation here on Wednesday.
Many people have criticized the House Working Committee for the closed deliberations of crucial issues in the bills that will lay the groundwork for the nation's political agenda including the general election and the presidential election next year.
According to the House's internal rulings, leadership meetings and working committee sessions are closed to the public.
Deliberations on the political laws before talks entered working committees were open but outsiders were only allowed observer status.
A number of crucial issues, over which the factions failed to agree during the House's Special Committee session last week, were left to be discussed by the working committee. Among those issues are the political rights of civil servants, the presence of the Armed Forces in the House, the electoral system and the schedule for the presidential election.
The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and Armed Forces (ABRI) factions shared the opinion of the PPP, saying they, too, would agree to open sessions.
"We understand that many people, including members of new political parties not involved in the deliberation, wish to monitor progress," Suyanto of PDI said.
The major Golkar faction, however, was divided over the issue.
Aminullah Ibrahim, chairman of the House's working committee on general election, said all factions should comply with the House's internal rulings, including one that said the working committee's sessions are closed to the public.
"However, despite the internal rulings, we hope a new policy on the working committee's sessions will be formulated tomorrow," he said without elaborating.
Meanwhile, the government regretted on Wednesday the House's decision to no longer involve representatives of groups in society in the National Election Committee (KPU) which would be in charge of running the next general election.
Ryaas Rasyid, the Ministry of Home Affairs official in charge of drafting the political bills, said: "We have repeatedly told the House Special Commission and Working Committee about the necessary presence of a neutral group from society in the election committee. We could do nothing when the House rejected this idea."
Wiyanjono of PDI said his minority faction supported the government's idea but was outvoted by the other factions.
The Golkar faction defended its stand, citing an MPR decree on the general election which stipulates that the committee's membership comprises representatives of the government and political parties contesting the election.
The PPP faction did not want representatives of social groups in the committee for fear that they would be handpicked by the government.
Aminullah said with the new agreement, the general election would be run by a national committee whose membership includes political parties and the government, which would function as a facilitator. (rms)