In search of House-govt harmony

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives (DPR) wishes to improve relations with the government, which have deteriorated since the fall of Soeharto in May 1998.

House Speaker Akbar Tanjung said in his accountability speech in the People's Consultative Assembly session on Thursday that the two institutions would have to improve communication about various state affairs at this time of crisis.

"We are certain that various problems could be solved if the House and the government communicate their ideas in a positive way," Akbar said.

During the tenure of Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid the House- government relations declined as the government no longer had control over the legislative body as it had during the 32-year rule of Soeharto.

In the past, the House and the Assembly were dominated by Golkar, Soeharto's election machine. There were only three political parties then, Golkar, Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and United Development Party (PPP) -- all effectively under the control of Soeharto. Now more than a dozen parties have their representatives in the House and the Assembly.

The overly critical legislators have often been blamed for the ineffectiveness of the government.

Akbar said that the lack of communication so far had hampered efforts to find a solution to the state's various problems.

On Thursday, the DPR, the government, the Supreme Council, Supreme Advisory Council and State Audit Agency presented their accountability reports to the Assembly.

Akbar said between August 2000 and October 2001, the House had deliberated 60 bills and completed 38 of those.

"Over the same period last year, the House was only able to deliberate 36 bills and complete 22 of those," he said.