'MPR Session meaningless for poor'

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will hold its Annual Session from Aug. 1 to Aug. 10, but people in the street are not excited at all. They say that it will not help improve the state of the country as they have never enjoyed any benefit from such a session.

Mardi, 35, is a supervisor of street sweepers at the National Monument park in Central Jakarta. He resides in Halim with his wife and son. He has worked for the City Sanitation Agency for six years.

"I don't exactly understand the purpose of the upcoming Annual Session. How the hell does is benefit ordinary people like me?

Controversial items on the annual agenda always cause mass rallies. That means more work for park sweepers like us due to the extra garbage left behind.

Poor people like us never get anything useful to improve our lives. We never feel any improvement in the country as we never enjoy the benefits.

We don't have high expectations from the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly. The results are always the same, despite the many different leaders of the nation. Under the rule of four presidents, from former presidents Soeharto and BJ Habibie, to Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati, we have remained as street sweepers who always use straw brooms to clean the park. No matter how rapid technological advancements may be, we still use traditional straw brooms to do our jobs."

Delfia, 44, is a resident of Karawang, West Java. He has been a taxi driver here since 1978 to support his wife and three children.

"The Annual Session is not important for me. Legislators and national leaders have always been inconsistent in what they say and do. The session won't help improve the country much, I guess.

Economically speaking, the session causes many low-income people to suffer large losses due to disruptive street protests. These will likely decrease the earnings of vendors and public transportation drivers.

I guess national leaders should first "put their own houses in order" before appearing at the assembly. Otherwise, the session here will simply be a waste of public money and will lead to nothing.

I'm sure most of the issues addressed at the assembly are not the real concerns of our society. So what's the point of it all?"

Beja, 35, is an engineer who has worked for a construction company in Central Jakarta for 11 years. He lives in Bogor with his wife and two children. He originally came from Blora, Central Jakarta.

"I think we don't need the Annual Session as it has so far failed to produce any significant result for the people.

The previous annual sessions only sparked massive riots and caused disruption. The agenda was often just a waste of public money. It also traumatized ordinary people.

The main focus in the upcoming session will be all about power politics between groups with vested interests. What will that achieve?

I feel pessimistic about the agenda. Besides, it would be better for me to think about how to earn a living from my job."

Toharis, 50, is a resident of Banjarnegara, Central Java, who has lived in the city for 26 years. He works as a vendor selling fresh fruit at the National Monument park. He resides in Kramat Pulo, Central Jakarta, with his wife and six children.

"I just hope the upcoming Annual Session will run smoothly. Should the situation remain stable, I will still be able to get a regular supply of fresh fruit. It all helps me to survive, of course.

I really don't wish to see protesters staging massive street rallies. It will only worsen the situation, and low-income people, who are dependent on the city's stability, will suffer a reduction in earnings."