MPR committee agrees to limit presidential term

MPR committee agrees to limit presidential term

JAKARTA (JP): Ad Hoc Committee I of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) agreed on Friday to recommend that a president and
vice president can only serve a maximum of two terms, whether
consecutively or not.

Marwah Daud Ibrahim, who chaired the committee meeting, said
that all factions put their weight behind a draft decree
proposing the term limits.

"Thank God that this committee succeeded in reaching a
historical decision," Marwah told reporters.

"Electing a president in the past has always been an acute
problem for this nation," she said, apparently referring to the
way the nation reelected Soeharto as president a record seven
times.

"This decision proves that the Assembly is quite open to all
aspirations," she said.

The proposal will go to the MPR's working committee for final
approval. The government of President B.J. Habibie plans to hold
an extraordinary MPR session in November to enact a series of new
decrees to accommodate changes brought about by the abrupt
resignation of president Soeharto in May.

The autocratic Soeharto ruled the country for 32 years, and
each time he was elected by the MPR without opposition.

Marwah said the rampant corruption and collusive practices
during the New Order era of Soeharto had a lot to do with
Soeharto's lengthy tenure in office.

"The situation would have been very different if he had stayed
in office for only two terms," she said.

Marwah said the committee agreed that the proposal to limit
the number of terms should apply to President B.J. Habibie.

"All factions agreed to count Habibie's first term from May
21. 1998 until Dec. 1999," she said.

Antonius Rahail of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
faction said term limits were essential to building a healthy
democracy. "We should take a lesson from history. A leader who
stays for a long time tends to abuse his power. He will likely
resort to repressive means to maintain the status quo," he said.

Andi Matalatta of the Golkar faction said most democratic
countries such as the United States, Japan, Australia and Germany
limit the number of terms a president or prime minister can
serve.

Article 7 of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that a president
and vice president serve a term of five years, and they may be
reelected after completing the terms. It does not say how many
terms a president can serve.

Those who supported Soeharto's reelection in March, including
many who are now serving in the MPR, argued back then that
setting a limit to the number of terms served was undemocratic
because it would deprive the people of the right to reelect
popular leaders.

Brig. Gen. (police) Taufiqurochman Ruki, spokesman for the
Armed Forces (ABRI) faction, said the military faction fully
supported the proposed term limit in keeping with the spirit of
reform.

The United Development Party (PPP) faction claimed that the
proposal to set term limits was its initiative.

"We have long proposed the idea, but it was always turned down
(by the dominant factions)," Chozin Chumaidy of the PPP faction
said. He pointed out that the party had proposed the idea at the
last MPR session in March.

Ad Hoc Committee I also agreed to propose revoking an MPR
decree that gives virtually unlimited power to a president to
protect the state, Marwah said.

The decree was enacted in March at Soeharto's instigation but
he never had the chance to invoke it.

"All the factions agreed that the decree is obscure and has no
real purpose. We feel this decree makes a president immensely
powerful," she said, adding that the extra power could easily be
abused if it fell into the wrong hands.

Ad Hoc Committee I is also discussing three other proposed
decrees, namely on Soeharto's accountability report, on an
investigation into Soeharto's wealth, and on the concept of a
presidential mandate.

Marwah promised that the committee would complete its work by
Sept. 30. (rms)