Megawati tells people to stick by presidential system
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)