Fears of constitutional reforms deadlock subside
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Fears of a deadlock in the constitutional amendment process subsided on Sunday when the Interest Groups faction (FUG) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the finalization of the latest batch of amendments to the 1945 Constitution.
Speaking at a press conference, faction leader Siswono Yudohusodo denied reports that the faction had been campaigning to thwart the fourth phase of the process at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
"The FUG supports amendments that ensure the creation of a better situation for the whole nation. Any such reports are baseless," said Siswono, an appointed representative from the Indonesian Farmers' Association (HKTI).
His statement poured cold water on the increasing political tension following reports that over 200 legislators had formed a caucus to thwart the amendments.
With the actual number of MPR members standing at 674, the "anti-amendment" camp needed the support of 225 legislators to thwart the amendment process.
Members of the Interest Groups faction were reported to have joined the maneuver with their main target being to ensure their continued presence in the MPR. If the raft of amendments are endorsed, the faction will be absent from the Assembly to be elected during the 2004 general election.
The main instigators of the maneuver were legislators from the largest faction in the Assembly, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).
PDI Perjuangan legislator Suwignyo claimed that the move had won the support of 110 Assembly members.
"The amendments have deviated from the philosophy of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution. Therefore, the process must be stopped," Suwignyo said on the sidelines of a meeting on Sunday.
According to Suwignyo, the 110 legislators were concerned about the way the amendment process had taken place. He said that his group had forged a coalition with legislators from the FUG and PKB in order to thwart the process.
Several legislators from the PDI Perjuangan tried to disrupt the discussions of Commission A for constitutional amendment on Sunday by repeatedly interrupting the meeting one after the other.
Legislators Amin Aryoso, Bambang Pranoto, Frans F.H. Matrutty, Haryanto Taslam, Sukono and Suwignyo repeatedly questioned the authority of the MPR, which they said had ceased to exist after last year's series of amendments had been passed.
The repeated interruptions by the PDI Perjuangan legislators prompted Commission A to postpone the talks on the substance of amendments until Monday.
Commission A was scheduled to start the deliberation of the fourth, or final, phase of the constitutional amendment process on Sunday morning.
The ongoing ten-day Annual Session is set to endorse several articles, including one on the composition of the MPR.
If the draft amendment is endorsed, the appointed representatives of the FUG will be expelled from the MPR as henceforth all members of the MPR will be elected.
In search of compromise, Siswono said that his faction would propose the adoption of a "bicameral plus system", which would include the House of Representatives (DPR), the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), and the Interest Groups.
"This system will ensure that all groups get representation in the MPR," Siswono added.
Besides the unresolved issue of the composition of the MPR, demands for the inclusion of the Jakarta Charter in Article 29 remains another hot topic for the Annual Session.
Two Islamic parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB), have been pressing for the inclusion of seven words from the Jakarta Charter in Article 29 of the Constitution.
The original version of the article states that the nation is based on one Supreme God, but the PPP and PBB want to include the phrase "with the obligation to practice sharia (Islamic law) for its followers".