JP/2/roundup

JP/2/roundup

MPR fails to agree on
constitutional reforms

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) wrapped up their annual
session Friday evening, but failed to reach an agreement on
constitutional reforms to allow voters to elect the president by
direct ballot.

The MPR, the country's highest legislative body, agreed in
principle to hold direct presidential elections, but differed on
what to do if the presidential and vice presidential candidates
cannot win the simple majority, prompting the body to postpone
the decision until next year.

"It it clear that all factions want the unresolved issues to
be taken up for further deliberation in the 2002 annual session,"
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais said during a plenary meeting Friday
night.

Amien said the agreement was reached after an intensive lobby
of the eleven factions last night.

The Assembly also rejected a flurry of calls by non-
governmental organizations for the setting up of an independent
commission on constitution, arguing that only the MPR has the
authority to amend the country's constitution.

The articles to be delibeated in next year's Annual Session
include the composition of the Assembly, the presidential
election, the condition if the president and the vice-president
unable to carry out state duties, and the state finance.

Amidst wide criticism, the Assembly smoothly passed seven
decrees including the those on ethics, Indonesian vision, curbing
the Corruption, Collusion and Nepotism practices, agrarian and
natural resources, plan to set economic recovery decree,
accountability of state agencies and Assembly internal
regulations.

The enactment of the revised internal regulations of the
Assembly leads to the reestablishment of the Regional
Representatives faction (FUD) that was disbanded in the
Assembly's meeting in 1999.

As expected fierce debate over constitution amendment became
the highlighted issue, and the legislators decided to take four
and a half hour break to further intensify lobby on how they are
going to decide the amendment.

Deputy chairman of commission A for amendment Slamet Effendy
Yusuf confirmed after a lobby that the factions had agreed to
bring two articles to further deliberation until next year.

The two articles are Article 23B and 23D on state finance and
Article 8 (3) on the condition when both the president and vice-
president unable to carry out state duties.

All factions, although agreed to apply the direct presidential
election, continue to maintain their stance on the procedure of
the system.

Political interests of each factions continue to play
prominent role in the process of the constitution amendment,
which have ignited the prolonged debate on the country's
constitution.

In a session earlier in the day, Assembly Speaker Amien Rais
decided to pass six decrees and one special decree, beside a
decree on the amendment of constitution.

The session was marked with some interruptions including from
prominent political figures such as Siswono Yudohusodo from the
interest group faction and Permadi from the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Interruptions were also raised by Ariyadi Achmad of Golkar
Party and Jusuf Muhammad from the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Jusuf said his faction endorsed the opinions to maintain the
existence of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA). In earlier
deliberation, the PKB wanted the advisory council be scrapped to
avoid uselessness.

Amien, who seems in the hurry, ignore almost all interruption
made by the legislators. He simply said: "Thanks for the
suggestion, but I reckoned that everybody here agree to pass
these decrees."

He then rapped his gavel two times.

Angry with Amien's reaction one of the legislators Djamal Do'a
from the United Development Party, who launch a protest on the
one of the decrees, leave the plenary session room.

The annual session, which was cut short, managed to fulfill
the targeted number of the decree, that had been discussed in the
last six-months in the Assembly working committee.

Several crucial articles in the Constitution that were still
at impasse cause fear of halt to the preparation of the 2004
general election.

Several articles relating to the preparation for the 2004
election include: Article 2 on the composition of the Assembly,
Article 6A on the presidential election, Article 7B on the
impeachment, Article 22C on the composition of the Regional
Representatives Council (DPD), and Article 22E on general
election,

Some other articles that remain unsolved are Article 15A on
the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA), Article 23 on the State
Budget, Article 23E on the State Audit Body, and Article 24 on
the Judicial Power and the composition of the Constitutional
Court.

Decrees of the Assembly

- Ethics in the Nationhood, the Statehood, and the Social Life
- Vision of Indonesia's Future
- Clean State Administration and free from Corruption, Collusion,
Nepotism
- Agrarian Reform and Natural Resource Management
- Economic Restructuring and Recovery
- Recommendation for state high institutions
- Internal Regulations of the Assembly