MPR forms 10 factions amid arguments, protests

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decided on Sunday at a plenary session, dogged by hiccups of protests and interruptions, to approve ten factions at the highest legislative body.

Soejitno Hardjosoediro, who chaired the session, banged his gavel to confirm the decision amid interruptions by members who came up with different interpretations of the requirements for forming a faction.

The center of the controversy was the insistence by the Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), which has only five members, that the MPR rules entitle it to have a faction of its own while many members argued that a faction should represent at least ten.

The ten factions, twice as large as those in the previous MPR, reflect the polarization of political interest groups and could be a glimpse of how tough it would be to make decisions at the highest law-making body.

Six of the factions were formed by major political parties who won more than ten seats in the June general election, the mandated threshold to be entitled to take part in the next general election.

The six factions are the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, the Reformist Golkar faction, the United Development Party (PPP) faction, the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, the National Mandate Party (PAN) Reform faction and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction.

The other four factions are the joint United Ummat Sovereignty (PDU) faction, joint Indonesian Nationhood faction, Regional Representative faction and the Indonesian Military/National Police faction.

The PDU faction groups the Indonesian United Islam Party (PSII), Nadhlatul Ummat Party (PNU), Masyumi Party and People's Sovereignty Party (PDR), while the Indonesian Nationhood faction comprises the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), IPKI Party, Justice and Unity Party and several regional representatives.

The Reform faction was formed by the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK).

The MPR factions resemble caucuses to help members fight for common interests.

Soejitno, who as the oldest MPR member was appointed to chair the MPR sessions pending the election of its leadership, seemed to assume that the MPR rulings on the requirements for forming a faction were clear.

However, an MPR member and constitutional expert, Yusril Isha Mahendra, conceded that the provisions of the rulings were indeed open to interpretations.

Debates

"PDKB should join other minority parties to form a joint faction because the MPR rulings require a faction to have at least ten members," Syamsul Muarif of the Reformist Golkar faction said.

Seto Hariyadi and Astrid Susanto of PKB defended their entitlement to form a faction, arguing that the minimum ten- member requirement was imposed only for a joint faction which was formed by more than one political party or groupings and not on a single faction like their party.

"Please give some respect to minority groupings' rights. We should not copy the way the former New Order regime treated minority groups, such as those of the Irianese, Acehnese and Ambonese," said Astrid.

Seto demanded that minority groups' democratic rights should no longer be neglected.

According to Yusril, the plenary session should have resolved the differences of interpretations. But Soejitno, apparently impatient with the barrage of protests and interruptions, banged his gavel and ruled out that PDKB was not entitled to have a faction of its own.

Yusril regretted the failure of the session to resolve the differences, saying "the PDKB faction should have been accepted but it will have limited rights".

When asked for his comments about Soejitno's leadership, Yusril cited old age and inexperience of the provisional chair as well as the attitude of most MPR members who were still in the early stage of learning a democratic process.

"All sides should understand his being old. He is only an acting MPR chair. He will step down after a new MPR chairman takes over on Monday," he said.

Slamet revealed that previously the Christian-dominated PDKB was slated to join the PDU faction but then quit after learning the faction was dominated by Muslim parties.

"PDKB representatives then decided to form their own faction because Chapter 13 of the MPR internal rulings on the minimum ten-member requirement applies not only to a joint faction but a single faction," Slamet said, insisting that the PDKB faction should be accepted though with limited rights. (rms)