House 'to focus on' legislative function

House 'to focus on' legislative function

JAKARTA (JP): House Speaker Akbar Tandjung pledged that the
House of Representatives in 2001 would focus on its legislative
function to deliberate on about 80 bills already submitted by the
government and review numerous out-of-date laws.

"The House has paid attention to its three main functions, but
it will give more emphasis on its legislative function in its
next sitting to deliberate on a number of bills which are
urgently needed to push for a better political and economic
condition in the country," Akbar told The Jakarta Post.

Political observers have criticized the House for putting to
much emphasis on its control function of the executive body thus
sacrificing the deliberation of bills.

Akbar said the current House, which was formed in October
1999, had passed 40 laws and reviewed four others but there are
still some 80 draft laws on politics, labor and the economy that
have yet to be studied.

"To be fair, the House has been performing its legislative
function as it has passed 40 laws over the last 16 months.
However, the House can also understand the public's criticism
because we have a so many bills that urgently need to be passed,"
he said.

Akbar noted that the House had its hands full this year with
the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly, the
many major national crisis along with the deliberation on the
2000 and the 2001 state budgets.

Meanwhile, Zain Badjeber, chairman of the legislative
committee, also noted that one reason why the committee had not
worked effectively was due to the numerous tasks which the House
had to undertake.

"This year, the House set up at least five special committees
and some their members are from the legislative committee. As a
result the committee's routine meetings had been frequently
postponed because they did not have the required quorum," he
said. (rms)