MPR not evenly represented, says observer

MPR not evenly represented, says observer

JAKARTA (JP): The system for recruiting members to the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the body in charge of
electing a president and adopting State Policy Guidelines, is in
need of revision, an observer says.

Noted political and military observer Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo
said here Saturday that he was not yet "satisfied" with the
current electoral procedures and the recruitment system, which
fails in ensuring optimum representation.

Sayidiman, the former governor of the Institute of National
Resilience, was elaborating on his recent suggestion that the MPR
convene at least twice during its five-year term to ensure
greater presidential accountability.

According to Sayidiman, the MPR should first assemble at the
beginning of its term and again when it reaches the halfway stage
of its five-year term.

"That way, the person who is mandated president by the MPR
will be able to give an account of his duties to the same body
that elects him," he said.

In addition to increasing its sitting sessions, he said MPR
members should also be elected in such a way as to represent the
population more fairly. The current proportional representation
electoral system "has not produced an optimum (makeup) of
representatives," he said.

He suggested that future general elections combine the
proportional representation system with a first-past-the-post
system with representatives of the Armed Forces.

"The MPR and DPR should consist of two 'segments' of members,"
he said. "The first group should be elected directly using the
first-past-the-post system at the regency level, while the second
group would be elected by proportional representation".

"The number of MPR members (who are also DPR members) doesn't
have to be 500 as long as it really reflects the people," he
said. "It would have a stronger 'posture' and its function would
be more guaranteed."

In addition, he said, the legislative bodies would be stronger
and better able to carry out their function as a checks and
balances force vis a vis the executive branch.

Sayidiman, who is also a former ambassador to Japan, also
criticized the fact that the MPR sitting session only lasts for
11 days. The period is simply too short for members to deal with
the national interests that are at stake, he said.

"Too many issues of national interest are not touched on
during those eleven days," he said, adding that more needs to be
accomplished at an assembly that costs Rp 11 billion, the amount
spent during the 1993 MPR assembly.

The 1,000-member Assembly convenes in March of the first year
of its five-year tenure to deliberate and adopt the State Policy
Guidelines and to elect a president. The membership includes 500
members of the House of Representatives (DPR).

The current Assembly was established in October 1992. It
witnessed an incumbent President Soeharto, then completing his
fifth term, deliver his account of his 1987-1992 leadership in
March 1993. It then re-elected Soeharto to a sixth term. (swe)