Legislators promise to deliberate all bills

Legislators promise to deliberate all bills

JAKARTA (JP): The clock is ticking away for members of the
House of Representatives, whose term ends on Sept. 30, but they
have promised to complete all bill deliberations in August so as
not to leave unfinished work for their successors.

The 500 legislators will break for a one and a half month
recess Thursday. Most of them will spend the time in nationwide
election campaigns, which run from April 27 to May 23.

This will give them five months to finish processing eight
final bills. The House has endorsed most of the 68 bills
submitted by the government. Observers have criticized
legislators for hastily discussing the bills, saying this
resulted in poor-quality laws.

Secretary of the dominant Golkar faction Andi Mattalata said
yesterday legislators are keen to end their term and do not want
to burden their successors with extra work.

"It is always assumed that legislators will manage to complete
their jobs within their term," said Matalatta, who chairs the
House's special committee which is now deliberating defense and
security bills.

Chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) faction Hamzah
Haz also predicted that House members would finish the remaining
eight bills in August.

The House will pass the bill on national statistics today and
the bill on transmigration tomorrow.

After the recess, legislators will resume discussing the bills
on the national police, mobilization, military disciplines, the
military tribunal, futures commodity trading, narcotics, the
environment and manpower. The manpower bill will have the first
reading.

Hamzah said limited time would not discourage the legislators.
He said they would endorse bills that accommodate both the
government's interests and the public's rights.

"We have always made changes in the original bills, ranging
from mere semantic to essential ones," Hamzah said.

Hamzah and Matalatta do not expect more bills to come in, as
legislators are already swamped by work.

"We are dealing with the biggest number of bills ever,"
Matalatta said.

"The government should in the next period arrange a better
distribution of bills so that the House can work more
efficiently. Our Guideline of State Policies has suggested this,"
he added.

Complaints of overburden have been common in the past three
five-year periods.

Matalatta said better government planning would allow the
House to improve its manpower.

"Our job is not only producing laws, but controlling law
enforcement as well," Andi said.

Hamzah also spoke about the need to review the House's
internal rules, widely criticized for its restrictive nature. He
said PPP members have been trying to convince the other factions
to campaign for reform on the internal rules.

"Each of the (four factions contacted have) in principle
agreed to the changes because they want the House to function
optimally," Hamzah said.

The PPP proposal for reform of the rules received support from
the Armed Forces faction yesterday. The Moslem-oriented party
faction will seek support from Golkar today, as it will need the
support of at least two of the House's four factions before the
proposal can be heard and deliberated. (amd)