Many people dissatisfied with House's performance: Wahono

JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives Speaker Wahono, at the start of the last session of the current House, conceded that many people were dissatisfied with the legislature's performance and called on newly elected members to be more open and responsive to the people.

"We hope that the 1997/2002 House members will be able to meet the people's increasingly critical and dynamic expectations and aspirations," he said in addressing Saturday's opening plenary session.

Yesterday's opening ceremony was capped off by President Soeharto's state address.

Wahono, 72, maintained that the new legislature, to be sworn in on Oct. 1, should be able to continue and improve the work of the current one.

"The quality of the elected members has been improved and they have also followed other related activities to prepare themselves for the assumption of such honorable positions," he said, covertly referring to the crash course programs that new members have been asked to take to give them basic knowledge on state affairs.

While noting the progress made by the current House, Wahono acknowledged there was still dissatisfaction over its performance.

"We can also feel that the people are not yet satisfied with the work and performance of the House.

"We are accepting this dissatisfaction with a broad mind, because as a result of development progress we are aware that the people's demands continue to rise, in addition to the increasingly sharp criticism by the people," said Wahono who has been House speaker since 1992.

Nevertheless, he argued that during the 1992/1997 term of the current House, "we notice a higher intensity in the supervisory function carried by the House commissions and the legislative functions".

Looking ahead, he spoke of the need for "a wider horizon" to inspire "greater openness".

"This should be an openness based on truth, justice and sincerity, as well as solidarity motivated by mutual respect so openness becomes a blessing for the nation not, on the contrary, a source of national disintegration," he said.

Despite having less than two months before the current House is disbanded, eight draft laws still remain to be deliberated -- the environment management bill, commodity futures trading bill, military tribunal and court bill, mobilization and demobilization bill, Armed Forces soldier's discipline bill, State Policy bill, Manpower bill and the broadcasting bill.

"Hopefully these bills will be enacted by the termination of the current House term of office. Otherwise the coming House of Representatives will have to start all over again," Wahono said.

Two of the draft bills -- on manpower and broadcasting -- remain controversial.

The broadcasting bill, after being initially approved by the House, was sent back by the government for amendment. It was the first time in the New Order era that a bill had been returned to House.

The government has also been pushing for the hasty passing of the manpower bill. Despite being in recess, a special House commission met with government officials last month to discuss the bill for five days at a hotel in North Jakarta.

Wahono in his address affirmed that "in the deliberations over these bills, the principles of thoroughness and accuracy are maintained". (mds)