House of Representatives set to endorse constitutional court bill
House of Representatives set to endorse constitutional court bill
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
With several contentious issues remaining, the House of
Representatives has arranged another extraordinary plenary
meeting on Wednesday in the hope that the constitutional court
bill can be approved.
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Tuesday the decision was
reached between the House leaders, faction leaders and the
special committee deliberating the bill on Monday.
The original schedule of the plenary meeting to seek House
approval of the bill was set for Aug. 11, as all the House
members are attending the Annual Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly, which was originally slated to close on
Aug. 10.
The Assembly has cut the session to seven days, giving the
lawmaking body until Thursday to complete its work.
Akbar said deliberation on the bill had continued on the
sidelines of the Assembly session as the House had failed to
endorse the bill on July 31.
The House and the government are trying to meet the Aug. 17,
2003 deadline for the formation of the constitutional court as
stipulated by the amended 1945 Constitution.
With only one day left before the Wednesday extraordinary
plenary, the special committee deliberating the bill is trying to
settle pending matters, including requirements for the judges who
will sit in the court, procedures for the impeachment of the
president, the judicial review mechanism and a limit on the laws
which are to be subject to judicial review.
Chief Justice Bagir Manan, Attorney General M.A. Rahman and
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra
attended the debate, supposedly the final, held by the House
special committee, which began at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday.
Deputy chairman of the committee, Ali Masykur Musa, said the
President, the House and the Supreme Court would have ample time
to select the judges. Each institution has the right to choose
three judges, according to the bill.
Separately, Yusril said both the government and the House
special committee had already agreed that impeachment could be
sought for the president if he or she commits crimes that
endanger the state.
Earlier President Megawati had asked the House to clarify the
offenses that could lead to impeachment of a president as the
bill says that the court is obliged to pass judgment over any
allegation of the House that the president and/or vice president
have, among other violations, committed "serious crimes" and
"misconduct".
Yusril said the House would agree to limit laws eligible for
judicial review to those enacted since the first amendment of the
Constitution in 1999.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
faction has proposed that all laws be subject to review.