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)