MPR likely to endorse amendments

MPR likely to endorse amendments

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) was expected to endorse
the last package of amendments to the 1945 Constitution on Saturday
despite protests from dozens of legislators over decisions on several
critical issues, including sharia, the composition of the MPR and
the establishment of a constitutional commission.

The endorsement of the amendments, the fourth since 1999, is
meant to pave the way for a more democratic Indonesia. It allows,
among other things, direct presidential elections and makes the
assembly a fully elected body.

The plenary was adjourned twice to allow factions to negotiate
and reach a consensus on the contentious issues. The last debate
centered on the establishment of a constitutional commission and
the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m. to allow factions another
half hour to negotiate. However, until 23:15 the plenary had not
yet reopened.

The plenary was scheduled to end at midnight.

Debates on sharia, or strict Islamic law, which was feared
could obstruct the endorsement, did not develop into prolonged
bickering after proponents for the adoption of sharia into
Article 29(1) on religion in the 1945 Constitution agreed to back
down from their demands. The plenary rejected a proposal to
insert seven words from the Jakarta Charter on sharia in Article
29(1), meaning the return to the original text.

At least 80 percent, or 172 million, of Indonesia's 215
million people are Muslims. But Islam is not the state religion
and a limited number of other faiths are accepted.

The debate on the establishment of a constitutional commission
revolved around its timeframe and legal basis. The Indonesian
Military/National Police faction proposed that the commission be
included in an auxiliary statute in the amended Constitution. In
other words, the military and police faction wanted the
commission be established now, instead of later in 2003 as
proposed by Commission A on amendments.

Other factions, meanwhile, insisted on sticking to Commission
A's decision to issue an MPR decree as a legal basis for the its
establishment.

An auxiliary statute has a stronger legal basis than an MPR
decree, which can be revoked at any given time by the MPR.

Amien Rais said the TNI/Police faction's proposal as a
backtrack on an earlier stance. On morning morning all factions
agreed to establish the constitutional commission based an MPR
decree.

Legislators also failed to reach a consensus on the removal of
the Interest Groups faction (FUG). Based on the third amendment
of last year which adopts a bicameral system, the faction, whose
members were all appointed, must be scrapped from the Assembly.

The ensuing vote marked the end of the history of the faction
in the Assembly. A total of 475 legislators voted for the removal
of the Interests Group faction, 122 legislators against it, and
three others abstained.

It was the only decision made by a vote in this Annual
Session.

"We accept this decision graciously. We have no intention to
bring this session to a deadlock," FUG leader Harun Kamil said,
to a noisy applause from the floor.

Another tough issue was Article 31(4) on the national
education budget.

The plenary meeting to decide on the amendments began at 2:57
p.m. but the vote for the FUG did not take place until at 9:30
p.m. due to several interruptions.

Several dissatisfied legislators with the decision on sharia
said they did not join in the decision-making process and were
therefore not responsible for the outcome of the amendment
process.

Objections to this decision were expressed by four factions:
the United Development Party (PPP), the Crescent Star Party
(PBB), the Daulatul Ummah Unity (PDU), and the Reform faction.
The latter comprises the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the
Justice Party (PK).

The PPP, PBB, and PDU withdrew their demand after a meeting
prior to the decision-making session.

The PBB faction said the rejection of the sharia would not
stop them from continuing the fight for the adoption of the
Islamic law into the Constitution.

"We won't give up. We will wait for a more appropriate time
(to fight for the inclusion of sharia)," PBB legislator Ahjad
told the plenary.

Meantime, legislators from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Benny Pasaribu and Angelina Andaris
Pattiasina expressed disagreement with an allocation of 20
percent of the state budget for education.

"It is not realistic. What will be the consequence if it can't
be fulfilled? It's hard for me to accept it," Benny said.

Taking another tack, PDI Perjuangan legislator Sabam Sirait
said that 20 percent was still too small to enable the country to
move forward.

Despite the objections, the majority of legislators agreed
with the fourth amendments.

Hundreds of protesters meanwhile staged a demonstration
outside the MPR building on Saturday to reject the constitutional
amendments.

Protesters from the Indonesian National Students Movement
(GMNI) and Antiamendment People Movement (Geram) unfurled banners
and disseminated pamphlets.

"Accepting the amendments means accepting a new constitution
and is against Pancasila (the state ideology)," it said on the
pamphlets.