House internal rules need changing: Legislators

House internal rules need changing: Legislators

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators of the United Development Party
(PPP) faction submitted to the House of Representatives yesterday
a proposal to amend its internal rules.

The legislators, led by chairman of the PPP faction Hamzah
Haz, said changes are needed to respond to the growing public
demand for democracy and a quality legislative body.

All but two of the faction's 61 members signed the proposal
drawn up by a team led by Yudho Paripurno, a legislator who
recently turned down his nomination for the legislative 1997-2002
term.

Hamzah told Deputy Speaker of the House Soetedjo that
legislators should be able to anticipate and respond promptly to
people's aspirations, demands and wishes.

"The rapid development within society requires a mechanism
which improves mobility and self-reliance of the House members,"
Hamzah said, citing financial independence as an example of
improved mobility and self-reliance.

He said the House would complete deliberating the proposal
before the legislators end their terms next Sept. 30.

The current internal rules, already revised in 1983, have been
blamed for discouraging legislators from taking initiatives and
reducing their role to a mere rubber stamp of government
policies.

According to the rules, legislators need the agreement of at
least 20 other legislators from two of the House's four factions
before they can submit a House-sponsored bill, ask for the
government's clarification of a policy, or raise opinion on a
subsequent presidential response to the House's queries.

The proposal says that in order to exercise its rights, the
House will require signatures of between 10 and 20 legislators
regardless of their factions.

House legislators also have the right to investigate, amend a
bill and recommend the government candidates fill certain posts
in the state's high-ranking institutions such as the Supreme
Court and Supreme Audit Body.

The PPP legislators, who refused to call themselves
representatives of the Moslem-oriented party, said that the
House's changing roles would require it to draw up and manage its
own budget.

At present the government decides the House's annual budget,
which is included in the state annual budget.

On the planned state budget announced by the government every
January, the PPP legislators urged the House to drop privilege
given to deliberations of the state budget's modification.

"All bills, including the modification of the state budget,
must be subjected to four-level deliberations before receiving
approval from the House," Hamzah said.

Currently, deliberations of state budget adjustment are
granted shortcut procedures to enable the House to pass the
budget at least one month prior to its application on April 1.

The proposal also suggests that all bill deliberations be open
to the public. Only discussion on the House's internal affairs
are conducted behind closed doors, the proposal says.

In response to the proposal, Soetedjo asked the PPP
legislators to influence members of the House's special
deliberation body to endorse the proposal.

Comprising 66 legislators of all the four factions, the
special deliberation body will deliver a proposal of changes to
internal rules at a plenary session. (amd)