Foreign leaders may attend Susilo's inauguration as president
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
For the first time ever, the inauguration ceremony of an Indonesian president may see foreign heads of state in attendance.
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid said on Wednesday at least three foreign leaders had expressed their intention to attend the induction of president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and vice president-elect Jusuf Kalla during the Oct. 20 plenary session of the Assembly.
"The head of government who has expressed his intention (to attend) is Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia. The embassies of Japan and Singapore have also conveyed similar intentions," Hidayat told the press after a meeting of Assembly leaders and State Secretariat officials to prepare for the inauguration.
Also present at the meeting were Assembly deputy speakers A.M. Fatwa, Mooryati Soedibyo and Moh. Aksa Mahmud.
The officials agreed to accommodate the intentions of the foreign leaders, and formal invitations are to be sent out in the next few days.
Aksa said outgoing President Megawati Soekarnoputri would also be invited to the ceremony, but did not speculate on whether she would accept.
As of today, Megawati has still not conceded defeat publicly to her former security minister, although Susilo has indicated a willingness to meet and ensure a smooth transition of government.
Aksa added that until the new president was sworn in, Megawati would remain the acting President.
Although the inauguration ceremony takes place in a week, Hidayat said Assembly members in charge of the event would discuss its arrangement on Oct. 18 -- a day before its first session opens.
Apart from witnessing the inauguration of Susilo and Kalla during the Oct. 20 meeting, the Assembly may also discuss a proposal from the 128-member Regional Representatives Council to amend the Constitution to gain legislative standing on a par with the House of Representatives.
The regional council was introduced this year as Indonesia moved toward a bicameral representation system in light of flagging public trust in political parties.
The council was set up in emulation of the United States Senate, and while it has little legislative power, the council can make suggestions to the House regarding the deliberation of bills on the state budget and the regional administration; its members are not directly involved in deliberations.
"Whether or not the Assembly will discuss constitutional amendments will depend on motions from Assembly factions or the council," Hidayat said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, deputy speaker Fatwa said the council's demand would spark a heated debate among House legislators.
He added that the Assembly might form an ad hoc committee to discuss the proposal and follow up the work of the Constitutional Commission, which assessed all constitutional amendments made between 1999 and 2003.