MPR professionalism
MPR professionalism
From Sinar Pagi
A newspaper reported on April 29 communications expert Prof.
Barita Siregar as saying, "To topple Gus Dur's Cabinet is
constitutionally a high-risk action. It will be the destruction
of the trust in democracy". President Abdurrahman Wahid's
Cabinet, formed by a compromise of big political parties, started
with a number of People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) products as
a result of the general election on June 7, 1999. The Cabinet has
high legitimacy but many things have been overlooked by those at
the top of the administration of the President, better known as
Gus Dur.
The conduct of the leader of the Cabinet is subject to the
state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. It is
determined by MPR Decree No.IV/MPR/1999 on the state guidelines
for 1999-2004. In reality, a number of controversial statements
gave rise to disquiet among the public, including some members of
Gus Dur's Cabinet itself. It has tended to destroy the mandate
from the people/MPR, meaning the destruction of the democratic
system itself.
During the New Order regime the country's highest institution,
the MPR, was under the command of the executive. Accountability
sessions held every five years always took the side of the regime
in power during 32 years. Now in the reform era, the evaluation
is carried out every year. There is the demand for the MPR to
yield positive things for the nation, different from the
performance every five years in past eras.
The highest authority is in the hands of the MPR. This
Assembly determines the Constitution and the state guidelines. It
appoints the head of state (president) and the deputy head of
state (vice president). It is the Assembly that holds the highest
state authority while the President is obliged to carry out
state policies according to guidelines laid down by the Assembly.
A heavy first test for the MPR will be the general session next
August. Let's hope the Assembly will be successful and more
professional compared to past ones.
SUNGKOWO SOKAWERA
Bandung