MPR committee deadlocked on leadership
JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ad Hoc Committee I ended a meeting on Monday in deadlock after the dominant Golkar's refusal to separate the Assembly's leadership from that of the House of Representatives (DPR) prevailed over the wishes of the other four factions.
The stalemate became apparent early in the meeting and was still there after three sessions.
After failing to reach an agreement in its first session, the committee took the draft decree (on the separation of the MPR from DPR) to a consultation forum. This move also ended without agreement.
After coming back for its third session, all factions agreed to leave the decision to the Assembly's Working Committee.
"If the Working Committee cannot agree on the draft decree, either, it would likely submit it to the Assembly's Special Session (planned for Nov. 10)," said Marwah Daud Ibrahim, the chairwoman of the Ad Hoc Committee I, after closing the session.
The Working Committee of the MPR (known as BP MPR), entrusted with preparing the MPR Special Session, is divided into two ad hoc committees. The first is in charge of preparing general elections, while the second is entrusted with preparing the agenda for the special session.
Marwah said all the factions agreed that the decree, if accepted, would apply for MPR and DPR members elected in the next general election because "we will have many more factions in the two state institutions in line with the planned multiparty system."
Golkar spokesman Syamsul Muarif said his faction could not accept the draft decree because the factions had no plausible and substantial reasons as to why they wanted to separate the MPR leadership from that of the DPR.
He warned that a separation of the two state institutions would have the major consequence that "the separation will bring changes to the two institutions' internal rules."
He argued that separation contradicted the 1945 Constitution. If separated, the MPR and DPR would have to have their own membership and internal rules. At present, MPR membership is 1,000, half of which comprises the DPR.
Hadisusastro, spokesman for the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction, said the MPR leadership should be separated from the DPR leadership because the MPR was the highest state institution.
"All existing state institutions, including the DPR and the presidency, are subordinate to the MPR and, therefore, the highest state institution should have its own speaker and deputy speakers," he said.
The two state institutions are currently chaired by the same leadership.
Chozin Chumaidy, representing the United Development Party (PPP) faction, said the two state institutions' leadership should be separated in order to empower both.
"We propose the draft decree because the people want it ... We must give voice to the majority who have demanded the separation in order to empower the MPR and the DPR," he said.
He also said the MPR could be empowered further by giving it more tasks so it would work for the duration of its five-year tenure, rather than just meeting once.
"The MPR should be given additional tasks such as reviewing the laws so that it will work from time to time. Another additional function could be to appoint the heads of the Supreme Audit Agency and the Supreme Court," he said.
Widodo AS, the chairman of the Assembly's Ad Hoc Committee II, said that all factions on his committee agreed to abolish the referendum law but none wanted to make changes to the Constitution.
According to the law, the Constitution can be reviewed by the MPR through a referendum in which at least two thirds of the MPR members must be present and at least two thirds of those present must agree to the proposed changes.
Widodo said that all factions also accepted the draft decree on lifting the subversion law and would propose that the House make another law to replace it. (rms)