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on its legislative function to deliberate on about 80 bills already submitted by the government and review numerous out-of-date laws.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)