House proposes regular talks with President

House proposes regular talks with President

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives proposed on
Wednesday consultation meetings every two months with the
President in a bid to improve communications between the state's
highest institutions.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung told reporters after a meeting
with his deputies that the proposal would be delivered to
President Abdurrahman Wahid as soon as possible.

"To build a good relationship between the House and the
government and to share views on problems the nation is facing,
it's necessary for both of us to meet more frequently," Akbar
said.

The consultation meetings should be hosted by the government
and the House in turn, Akbar said.

Before the fall of the New Order in May last year, the
president used to meet House members face-to-face twice a year to
deliver the state budget proposal and the regular state of the
nation speech on the eve of the country's anniversary of
independence.

Former president Habibie broke the long-standing tradition,
but his visits to the House were always incidental. During his
17-month tenure, Habibie accepted the House's invitation three
times to clarify, among other things, the government's policy on
East Timor and the state security bill.

Akbar said Abdurrahman had accepted the House's request for a
hearing on the latter's decision to scrap the ministries of
information and social services on Thursday. The meeting was
originally slated for Monday, but postponed because Abdurrahman
was still on his overseas trip.

During Wednesday's meeting, the House also agreed to cut short
procedures required for decision making on urgent matters, Akbar
said.

"In a special case which needs a quick response from the
House, the decision can be made in a meeting between the House
speaker, deputy speakers and heads of factions. They will be
obliged to just report the result of the meeting in a plenary
session," he said.

Akbar said the House would further discuss the criteria of the
urgent matters.

He said the House should have quickly responded to the
government's plan to release 90 political prisoners.

"But the old procedures in the House forced the prisoners to
wait for three weeks to learn their fate," Akbar said. The
government's amnesty requires the House's approval, according to
the amended Constitution.

The House leaders also agreed to draw up a code of ethics for
the legislators. An ad hoc team will be assigned to carry out the
job. (02)