House agrees to decrease commissions to 8

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives has approved an internal reorganization that would shrink the current 11 commissions to only eight.

Syamsul Mu'arif, who chairs a special committee in charge of deliberating the House's internal rule amendments, said yesterday that fewer commissions would help prevent hurdles in the decision-making process stemming from the underrepresented Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

The party, beleaguered by protracted internal conflicts, gained only 11 of 425 legislative seats in the May 29 general election -- not enough to field its representatives in any regular or special sessions.

Syamsul said the House leadership was expected to give its formal approval of the draft of the internal rule amendments tomorrow. House leaders will then arrange a plenary session to pass the amendments, which Syamsul said would take place at the end of the House term on Sept. 30.

"House leadership agreed on the draft during our lobbying, and it's almost certain the plenary session will pass it," Syamsul of the Golkar faction said.

If the regrouping goes into effect, the next House will have commissions dealing with defense, security and legal affairs; foreign policy and internal affairs; agriculture, food and transmigration; transportation and infrastructure; trade and industry, which includes cooperatives; social welfare; religious affairs and education, including technology; and finance, state budget and statistics.

Syamsul said the tiny PDI faction did not deserve any chairmanship seat in the eight commissions. Four of the seats will go to the dominant Golkar faction, while the United Development Party and the Armed Forces will receive two seats respectively.

Golkar, which won the majority of votes in the May election, will field 325 legislators in the next House's five-year period, which starts on Oct. 1. PPP will have 89 members, while the Armed Forces, whose members do not vote, secured 75 House seats reserved for it.

After the regrouping, each commission will comprise an average of 60 legislators, 15 more than the previous commission membership average.

Syamsul said a bigger commission should not diminish the right of each commission member to speak out because the amended rule stipulates longer working hours.

Legislators will work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and have extra hours from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

"Efficiency is another reason for the regrouping of the commissions," Syamsul said of the extended working hours.

The amended rule maintains the minimum attendance of more than half of commission members who represent all of the four House factions. It, however, adds a clause that whenever PDI representatives fail to show up, a session will only need a letter of approval from the faction's leadership.

"It's unfair if a session is canceled merely because of the absence of a PDI legislator. A tyranny of the minority must not occur," Syamsul said.

The amended internal rule also simplifies procedures for legislators to exercise their rights. Only ten people are required for the House to demand for a government explanation over a certain policy, to make a statement of support or opposition against a policy, to propose an investigation and to sponsor a bill.

Except for the right to hold an inquiry on government policies, the last three rights require support from at least two factions.

According to the new draft, a commission is obligated to receive public complaints on issues under its jurisdiction, unless the public means to meet a certain faction.

Syamsul said the House rejected a PPP proposal to allow the legislative body to draw up its own budget. According to Syamsul, however, the government promised to allocate more funds to each faction. (amd)