Legislature needs support

Legislature needs support

As our new People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien
Rais and House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung
have both pointed out, our people need a firm commitment (to
reform) from all of us in this time of crisis. The problem is
will the House be able to fulfill its promise?

We commend both these leaders for their stated commitment.
Indonesians have long hankered to have a strong and respected
legislature to represent them and exert control over the
executive. In the past, our House of Representatives was a true
rubber-stamp legislature.

Indonesians now hope that the new DPR will prove itself to be
better than those legislatures. In the past, the extraordinary
powers with which the executive was infested and the arbitrary
actions which that brought on the people resulted in many
hardships. Power tends to corrupt.

It would seem, however, that Akbar Tandjung will have to work
hard since mere enthusiasm is not enough to make the House work
with optimum effectiveness. To achieve this, the assistance from
the public at large and from the media will still be needed.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta