Legislators take break despite dismal track record
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Maintaining its poor performance in passing legislation, the House of Representatives (DPR) closed its one-month session on Friday to give the bumbling legislators time to celebrate Idul Fitri, Christmas, and New Year festivities.
During its one-month session, the House again failed to meet its target, endorsing only seven of 43 bills it pledged to deliberate when the session started late October.
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said in his closing speech that the unfinished bills would be deliberated in the next session.
And despite its poor record, Akbar, who is also Golkar chairman, still bragged that the House had "successfully" discharged its role in legislation, budget deliberation and supervision.
Instead of engaging in some soul-searching over its lackluster performance, Akbar appealed to the government to respond to bills prepared by the House.
Article 20 (1) of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that each bill is deliberated and endorsed by the House and the government.
"The government should soon assign officials to deliberate some bills prepared by the House," said Akbar, who has also been convicted in a Rp 40 billion financial scandal involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
When Akbar was delivering his speech, a number of legislators interrupted.
Dwi Ria Latifa of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said it was ironic that after endorsing a bill on the commission for corruption eradication, the plenary meeting was still presided over by a convicted corrupter.
"Are we really blind? We agree on the commission for corruption eradication, but we are pleased to be headed by a House speaker who has been sentenced to three years imprisonment," Ria said, immediately walking out of the hall.
Her decision to boycott the plenary meeting was followed by legislator Ida Fauziah of the National Awakening Party (PKB).
They were jeered at by other legislators, apparently Akbar's loyal supporters.
Another legislator Marwah Daud Ibrahim of the Golkar Party also interjected, asking legislators to collect money to help the victims of the Papandayan volcanic eruption in West Java and the Legian bombing in Bali and to purchase an ambulance for both.
According to Marwah, the local administrations are in need of an ambulance.
With the end of the session, the legislators will be on recess until Jan. 10, 2003.
The seven bills which have been endorsed are: the bill on political parties, broadcasting, state budget, formation of 14 regencies in Papua, formation of the Banjar municipality in West Java, the commission for corruption eradication, and building construction.
Concerning the broadcasting bill which has been strongly criticized, Akbar suggested that the government disseminate the substance of the bill to improve people's understanding.
Akbar added that the endorsement of the political parties bill was expected to be an instrument to create a more accountable and democratic party system.
This is in line with the commitment to strengthen the presidential system, he added.