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)