House ends session, only 13 bills endorsed
House ends session, only 13 bills endorsed
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta
The House of Representatives closed its two-and-a half-month long
session with Speaker Akbar Tandjung boasting that the legislators
had been able to finish deliberating 13 bills.
Akbar delivered his closing speech at a House plenary session
attended by around 100 of the 500 legislators in the House.
He said that House members were committed to continuing the
deliberations of more than 40 unfinished bills in the next
sitting period, which will be the legislators' last session
before their term ends.
The House will go into recess from July 17 through Aug. 15 and
will have the last sitting period from Aug. 16 through September.
New legislators resulting from the April 5 general election
will be sworn in on Oct. 1.
"House leaders commend some committees that will continue
their work during the recess," said Akbar, who was accompanied by
deputies Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Tosari Widjaja of the United
Development Party (PPP), Muhaimin Iskandar of the National
Awakening Party (PKB) and A.M. Fatwa of the National Mandate
Party (PAN).
Akbar, Golkar Party leader, said the 13 bills were among the
39 bills endorsed by the House in the period between August last
year through July 2004. Of the 39 bills, seven of them were
drafted by the House members.
He emphasized that House members had also taken part in the
selection of Miranda S. Goeltom as senior deputy governor of Bank
Indonesia, 14 candidates for Supreme Court justices and 21
candidates for State Audit Agency (BPK) members.
Earlier in the day, the House endorsed a bill on the
ratification of an international protocol on biodiversity that is
expected to help create safe transfer and handling of transgenic
organisms.
Spokespersons of House factions mostly suggested that the
government disseminate information to the people on the benefit
of the ratification.
Following the endorsement, Minister of the Environment Nabiel
Makarim said on behalf of the government that his ministry was
drafting a government regulation on the safety of genetically
modified organisms (GMO).
Nabiel promised that the government would empower the regional
administrations and the public in the policy-making on the
release and the distribution of GMO.
Separately, a coalition of non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) on biodiversity and food welcomed the ratification.
Tejo Wahyu Jatmiko, director of the National Consortium for
the Forest and Nature Conservation (Konphalindo) said the
ratification was a clear indication of the government's intention
to protect the environment.
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No. Bills deliberated and endorsed
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1. Establishment of Bangka Belitung High Court
2. Establishment of North Maluku High Court
3. Establishment of Banten High Court
4. Establishment of Gorontalo High Court
5. Procedure to make laws
6. State finance audit and accountability
7. Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change
8. Plantations
9. Public Prosecution Service
10. Judicial Commission
11. Government regulation in-lieu-of law on forestry
12. Government regulation in-lieu-of law on elections
13. Ratification of the Cartagena Protocol on Biodiversity
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Source: The Jakarta Post