Govt opposes Cabinet, advisory bills
Govt opposes Cabinet, advisory bills
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta
The government considers the contents of the Cabinet ministry and
the presidential advisory council bills prepared by the House of
Representatives detrimental to the discretionary power of the
president.
The objection was raised on Tuesday during a meeting between
House leaders and the government who were represented by Minister
of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno, State Minister of Administrative
Reforms Feisal Tamin, and State Secretary Bambang Kesowo.
While neither House Speaker Akbar Tandjung nor the ministers
disclosed details of the discussion, chairman of the House
Legislation Body Zein Badjeber said the ministers expressed
disagreement with the contents of the two bills, which they said
would limit the discretionary powers of the president.
Quoting the ministers, Zein said the Cabinet ministry bill did
not give enough room for the president to form his or her own
Cabinet.
The Cabinet ministry bill proposes 31 ministries, 21 of which
would have supporting offices in the regions (known as portfolio
ministries).
"The government says that the Cabinet ministry bill restricts
the discretionary power of the president in forming the Cabinet.
It gives the president no choice," he said.
Zein said the government had suggested that the Cabinet
ministry bill only determine six mandatory ministries: the
Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of
Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Justice.
Regarding the presidential advisory council bill, the
government disagreed with an article that may be exploited to
impeach the president.
The article states that the president must pay serious
attention to the advice of the council.
"What if the president does not heed the advice? The
government fears this could be construed as a violation and be
exploited to impeach the president," Zein added.
Zein joined deputy speakers Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, A.M.
Fatwa and Muhaimin Iskandar in accompanying Akbar during the
closed-door meeting.
During a joint press conference that followed the meeting,
Akbar promised he would discuss the government's concern with
leaders of the House factions.
Hari, however, refused to elaborate on the government's stance
concerning the two bills, which are ready for deliberation
despite the recess.
"We are here to present our views regarding the contents of
the bills on Cabinet ministry and presidential advisory council,"
Hari said.
Akbar said the three ministers provided inputs to enrich the
two bills from the constitutional and political point of view.
Commenting on the concern, Akbar said that the House leaders
were not in a position to respond to the issue. He said he would
summon the leaders of House factions to discuss the issue.
"We ask the government to articulate its concern and discuss
it with the legislators," he said.
Akbar said President Megawati Soekarnoputri had not assigned
ministers to represent the government in the deliberation of the
bills.