House okays yearly legislation plan

House okays yearly legislation plan

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives approved yesterday
an annual legislation program to be delivered by the President
during the State Budget plan.

Syamsul Mu'arif, who chairs a special committee considering an
amendment to the House internal rule, said approval would be
sought from the government.

"A clear plan will allow both House legislators and the
government to make better preparation and enable the government
to set the budget," Syamsul said.

The annual program was one of six crucial issues the special
committee, which started early this month, has been deliberating.
The 21-strong committee will continue until mid-September.

Syamsul said that, if approved by the government, a team made
up of government officials and House legislators would meet every
five years to arrange the distribution of bills. The program
should be included in the government's development planning held
every five years.

The team would come together to arrange the schedule of the
bills to be discussed before the President delivered the annual
State Budget plan, Syamsul said.

"However the plan should not restrict either the government or
the House from submitting extra bills if they are urgently
required", Syamsul said.

The government initiated the national legislation program in
the early 1970s but it did not work. Under that system, the
Ministry of Justice was required to draw up a so-called master
plan of draft bills to be submitted to the House for the five-
year term.

House legislators have long complained of too many bills being
submitted before the end of their term.

With the endorsement of the bill on narcotics yesterday, there
are still seven bills and the House internal rule amendment to be
completed before the term ends on Sept. 30.

Twenty-two government sponsored bills have been submitted to
the House since January.

Commission

Syamsul said the House committee had yet to reach agreement on
a legislator's rights; the number of commissions and commission
chairmanships; the quorum needed for regular and special
sessions; the House's control of the state budget; and
consultation and coordination between the House and the state's
top institutions.

Chief of the United Development Party (PPP) faction, Hamzah
Haz, said yesterday the next House looked set to have fewer
commissions to accommodate the under-represented Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI).

PDI managed only 11 House seats in the May 29 general
elections, compared to Golkar's 325 and PPP's 89.

"Reducing House commissions is unavoidable because PDI cases
will adversely affect any decision making process here," Hamzah
said.

He said PPP wanted to drop two of the current 11 House
commissions to make it feasible for PDI legislators to carry out
their legislative duties.

Hamzah refused to reveal which commissions may be scrapped,
saying that the decision would be made by the House consultative
body which includes all faction leaders and the House's top
members.

Aside from fielding representatives in each of the
commissions, a faction is always keen to have a seat in the House
leadership board. (amd)