House behind schedule for bill approval

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives (DPR) admitted defeat on Saturday in its race against time to complete its deliberations on a top priority bill in the current sitting, which will end on Dec. 13.

Legislators could only finish three of the more than a dozen bills it had promised to "try hard" to complete by the end of the season, which began on Nov. 20.

"Deliberation on the other bills will resume in the next session," said Shodiq, a staff member with a bureau in the secretariat-general on Friday.

The three bills that have been passed into law concern state defense, the National Police and revisions to the state budget.

When opening the current session on Nov. 20, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung promised that legislators would also discuss bills on money laundering, electricity and investment as a top priority.

"The bill on money laundering is very important because it is part of international crime, which has a wide impact," Akbar said.

Akbar had demanded legislators work day and night in order to complete their unfinished deliberations on various bills, in a session that lasted only 18 days.

At least 16 bills are being deliberated during the 18-day period. They include, among others, one on an anticorruption commission, property rights, electricity, the protection of workers and state finance.

Other bills expected to be passed into law early next year are on the protection of children, the presidency, banking credit and the national education system.

An important "achievement" was the appointment of Comr. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar as National Police chief. Da'i was made a general immediately after being sworn in by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.