House begins final session
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The House of Representatives (DPR) on Monday opened its last session with House Speaker Akbar Tandjung pledging to prioritize the deliberation of seven bills, including bills on the Cabinet and on a Presidential Advisory Board.
However, President Megawati Soekarnoputri has not assigned ministers to represent the government in the deliberation of the two bills, raising doubts that the drafts will be endorsed on time.
"We hope the last session will run smoothly," Akbar said during a plenary meeting attended by Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz.
Other bills on the priority list are those that deal with the protection of Indonesian migrant workers, the social insurance system, revision of Law No. 36/2000 on the Batam free trade zone, revision of Law No. 22/1999 on regional administrations, and revision of Law No. 24/1999 on fiscal apportionments between the central government and regional administrations.
In the final session, which runs from Aug. 16 to Sept. 30, House members are scheduled to work for 31 days. In past sessions, the current House has repeatedly failed to meet its legislation targets.
Regarding the deliberation of the controversial Indonesian Military (TNI) bill, Akbar said the substance of the government- sponsored bill needed further assessment before deliberation could continue.
"This bill is very crucial, therefore more input from society and the institutions must be taken into consideration," he added.
Military experts and prodemocracy activists have strongly opposed the bill, which they say essentially revives the military's controversial dual function role and allows active military officers to take up civilian posts.
During the 32 years of former president Soeharto's leadership, the so-called dual function, which entailed troop deployment down to the regency level in otherwise civilian posts, was exploited to control the movement and political life of people across the country.
The dual function policy, however, was scrapped following Soeharto's downfall in May 1998. Military officers holding civilian posts were also asked to return to their barracks or resign from the military service. Many opted for the latter.
Ibrahim Ambong, chairman of the House's commission on defense, said that his team would continue the deliberation of the bill despite the controversies.
Ideally, each faction takes into account input from meetings with government officials. There is one such meeting scheduled for Aug. 24.
Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa, deputy chairman of the committee that will look into the revisions of the Regional Administration Law, said separately that his team had been working hard to finish the revision.
The main item in that revision proposal is the adoption of direct elections for governors, mayors and regents.
Meanwhile, lawmakers also continued deliberations for the bill on a truth and reconciliation commission, although it was not put on the priority list.
In addition, Akbar said the House was concerned over the social conflict resulting from partition of the Mamasa regency in South Sulawesi.
"We deeply regret the incidents. The partition of a regency is designed to improve the people's welfare. This incident must be taken as a lesson for any partition of regencies or provinces in the future," he said.