MPR prepares decree on economic recovery
MPR prepares decree on economic recovery
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has outlined a draft
decree that will provide the government with guidelines and
recommendations to speed up the economic recovery.
By means of the decree, the Assembly expects that the
government will focus on efforts to create legal and security
assurances to encourage investment.
The government was also urged to evaluate its relations with
international institutions and donor countries.
"We need to make suggestions to the government because there
is no sign of economic recovery. We will spell out the
difficulties to the government," said Potsdam Hutasoit of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) here on
Wednesday.
Potsdam, however, said that there was still a debate among
legislators as to whether the guidelines would be in the form of
an MPR decree or merely a set of recommendations.
Fellow legislator Syafrin Romas of the National Awakening
Party (PKB) added the guidelines were aimed at giving the
government clear direction for its policies on economic recovery.
"Well, at least the government will receive economic recovery
guidelines for the year ahead," Syafrin told The Jakarta Post at
the Assembly building here on Wednesday.
He acknowledged that the decree would have political
implications for the President if the government failed to carry
out the economic recovery.
According to Syafrin, such implications should not be
considered anything unusual because the President was still
elected by the Assembly.
Although it would be normal for the Assembly factions to
evaluate the performance of the President, Syafrin urged fellow
legislators not to prioritize their own political interests above
all else.
The decree also stipulates that the government should
immediately create clean and strong governance at a national
through to regional level throughout the country.
The Assembly urges the government to negotiate with the donor
countries over debt rescheduling and attempts to lessen the
burden caused by foreign loans.
Both Potsdam and Syafrin emphasized that the political will
from all state apparatus would determine the success or otherwise
of economic recovery.
Political and legal steps were needed to deal with security
problems that might affect the economic recovery.
Apart from the draft decree on the recommendation for a quick
economic recovery, the Assembly also prepared draft decrees on
the modification of the Assembly's internal rules, the revocation
of an MPR decree on the procedure for presidential and vice
presidential elections, and the agenda for the annual session in
2003.
The decree on the procedure for presidential and vice
presidential elections issued in 1999 is likely to be revoked
because the presidential election in 2004 is expected to be a
direct one -- the first of its kind.
The last presidential election in 1999 was carried out by the
MPR.