MPR agrees to move forward elections

JAKARTA (JP): Members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) agreed on Friday to accelerate the presidential elections, but adjourned the General Assembly after failing to reach a consensus on the exact dates of the crucial schedule.

Assembly members were in apparent agreement that a president must be elected in the coming weeks.

The source of contention comes down to whether the president would be elected before or after the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN) is drafted and endorsed.

"We decided to suspend the lobbying until tomorrow (Saturday) at 9 a.m., that means there'll be no meeting tonight," Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman said on Friday afternoon after a two-hour closed-door meeting with leading Assembly members.

Despite lacking sufficient support, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) continued to push for a General Session schedule comprising one phase, which would culminate in a presidential election within a fortnight.

The move would mean endorsement of the guidelines would take place after the presidential election.

A small team headed by Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra, which includes Golkar and National Mandate Party (PAN) representatives, has proposed a two-phase schedule.

The grouping has proposed that after four days the Assembly would adjourn to allow an Assembly Working Committee to draft the guidelines, before convening again on Oct. 22.

Marzuki stressed that it was now a matter of fine-tuning the timetable.

"We'll try to lobby for a consensus so a completely new government will be formed by Oct. 28," Marzuki said.

He said most of the factions "agreed and realized" that an accelerated presidential election was the "best way to normalize the nation".

"There are no principal differences, we only have to reach an agreement on the details.

"We hope PDI Perjuangan will show a moderate stance in the plenary session tomorrow (Saturday) so that the General Session's agenda can be unanimously accepted," Marzuki said.

Hari Sabarno of the military faction said: "We have been able to reach points of understandings, so hopefully with that we can reach an agreement tomorrow."

Many argue that electing a president prior to the formulation of the State Guidelines is tantamount to giving a blank cheque to the government for the next five years.

Sabam Sirait of PDI Perjuangan denied that the party's firm stand on the timetable issue was hampering the General Session's progress.

After attending Friday morning's induction ceremony, PDI Perjuangan chairwoman and presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri also urged the election process to occur as quickly as possible.

She argued that the country's economic and political recovery would immediately begin to recover with the election of a new president.

"PDI Perjuangan has its own political interest to immediately end the crises," Megawati said.

Late into Friday night, Assembly members were lobbying hard in an attempt to break any possible impasse that may arise on Saturday.

Nearly four months after the June 7 elections, the 700-seat Assembly on Friday finally convened its General Session.

The Assembly is comprised of members of the House of Representatives (DPR), of which 462 were elected through the polls and 38 were allotted to the military.

In addition, there are 135 regional representatives and 65 interest group representatives.

Only 628 members were sworn in on Friday due to unresolved political and administrative issues. Due to the unfolding situation in East Timor, the territory's five regional seats remained vacant. Jambi and Southeast Sulawesi have also not elected regional representatives.

In addition to electing a president and vice president, the Assembly must also endorse the 1999-2004 State Guidelines, amend the 1945 Constitution, issue decrees, select speakers of the Assembly and the House and establish the various factions.

Coalition

With no party holding a clear majority in the Assembly, seat- trading, back room politics and hallway alliances will be widespread during the coming weeks.

Marzuki said that close cooperation among the major political parties was needed to form the new administration.

"The next government should draw its power from all the major political parties in line with the seat tally composition of the recent General Election," he said.

Another Golkar Party member, Ekky Syachrudin, predicted a deadlock in the presidential race, saying support for the three strongest contenders was finely balanced.

A loose coalition known as the "axis force" led by PAN and several Muslim parties has nominated Abdurrahman Wahid. PDI Perjuangan backs Megawati, while Golkar continues to officially support incumbent Habibie, despite indications that it might be reconsidering the nomination.

"The three major power groups are expected to win around 200 supporters each in the presidential election. If they fail to make a compromise, the election will be deadlocked," he said.

National Awakening Party (PKB) secretary-general Muhaimin Iskandar reiterated on Friday his party's support for Megawati.

"PKB will acquire more political gains in a coalition with PDI Perjuangan than with the axis force," he said.

Checks

Most party leaders also appeared to agree that the Assembly establish an effective check-and-balance system to prevent an overconcentration of power in the president's hands.

"We want to ensure that the next president will not have too much power," Sutradara Ginting of the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) said on Friday after late night lobbying between party leaders at Hotel Indonesia.

Most members agreed that the 1945 Constitution, which provides the president with sweeping powers, should be amended. But they also realized that the two-week interval between the session's two phases would not be sufficient for deliberating such an important issue.

Ginting said the MPR should, at the very least, be able to enact laws that further empowered the House, the Assembly and the Supreme Court to bring the president under an effective check-and-balance mechanism.

He said such a control mechanism would be adequate pending a comprehensive amendment of the Constitution by the Working Committee within three months of the conclusion of the current General Session. (rms/byg/emf/amd/vin)