Megawati tells people to stick by presidential system

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday asked the people not to reduce or weaken the current presidential system in their efforts to strengthen democracy and the people's sovereignty.

She said such a system is guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution.

In a written speech at the opening ceremony of a seminar on reconciliation between state leaders organized by the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI), Megawati demanded that the reform movement should go along with the principles stipulated in the Constitution.

"We may not realize it, but we can feel that the reform movement which is meant to create a balance (between the people and the government) has led to the shifting of power and authority," Megawati said in her speech, delivered by Coordinating Minister for Political, Social, and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"Although we want to strengthen the people's sovereignty in the decision-making processes of state, the move should not reduce the effectiveness of the presidential system as it is stipulated in the 1945 Constitution," she added.

The Vice President underlined that it is important to reform relations between the presidency and the people's representative body.

However, she reminded the people to carefully observe the negative impact of a move to modify these relations.

"In the current transitional period, we need a strong and effective government. We don't want an authoritarian government with a weak control system.

"Strong government is different from an authoritarian one," Megawati said.

She said that in a government which does not have a clear vision, program or capability to apply its development plans, there should be no discussion about effectiveness.

"If the government has low political support and its performance is declining, it is hard to imagine that its vision and programs can be carried out," she said.

Megawati said she understood the people's concern over the ongoing reform movement, which they claimed to have become more unclear, creating more problems, and the lack of political support from the current government.

The reform movement should have improved democracy in the country, especially in legal, social, economic and governmental affairs, she said.

On the contrary, she said, democracy has been misunderstood as unlimited freedom to do anything, even to break the law, to conceal or to promote the interests of certain groups of people.

Megawati said it is now the right time for the country to start correcting its actions and thoughts, including measures carried out by the reform movement.

"We should not stop with the concept, but it is very important to evaluate and make clearer the design and concept of the reform movement.

"We should determine the goals and the timeframe for its achievements," she said. (dja)