MPR set to pass all draft decrees

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly undertook a quick study yesterday of all material brought before it for deliberation, including the controversial decree that, if passed, would give the next president extraordinary powers.

No major changes are expected to be introduced to the draft of the 1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines as the minority factions, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), have given up their demand that the Assembly include in the document the need for a thorough look into the economic crisis.

The head of Assembly Commission B in charge of matters other than the State Policy Guidelines, Gen. Wiranto of the Armed Forces faction, said all the five factions agreed to endorse the five draft decrees under its auspices in a plenary session scheduled for Monday.

"Our job this time has not been so difficult because we practically completed our duties during the preparatory meetings (from November last year through January). Then, there were acrimonious debates en route to agreement," Wiranto recalled.

Other than the decree on extra presidential powers, the commission deliberated amendments to the Assembly's internal rules and two decrees on the presidential and vice presidential elections, as well as the outline of the policy guidelines.

The substance of the guidelines was discussed by Commission A led by Gen. (ret) R. Hartono.

"Praise God there were no substantial differences during the deliberations, so that we were able to agree upon all of the material right away today," said Wiranto, who is also the Armed Forces commander.

The Wiranto-led team decided yesterday to commission a team of 24 people headed by Akbar Tanjung to fine tune the wording of the drafts. The dominant Golkar faction has eight representatives, while the remaining four factions each have four people on the team.

The final draft of the decrees will be presented in a plenary meeting of the 315-member commission today.

Wiranto shrugged off worries that the extra powers to be given to the next president would lead to absolutism.

"There are certain legal procedures the president will first have to meet if he wishes to execute the powers, including consultation with the House of Representatives in advance and a report to the Assembly delivered in his or her accountability speech. So, what sort of absolutism will the decree generate?" asked Wiranto.

He said the Golkar-sponsored decree guaranteed that the extra powers would only be executed in an emergency situation.

The revival of the decree was suggested by President Soeharto in his briefing of 500 legislative candidates last August. He warned then that a special authority was needed, considering that future challenges might undermine development programs, the state ideology Pancasila and even the nation's survival.

Soeharto's reelection for another five-year term looks certain after all five factions announced the 76-year-old retired general was their sole presidential candidate.

Golkar legislator Loebby Loqman shared Wiranto's view yesterday, saying that despite the special powers, the next president should not be able to neglect citizens' rights and the 1945 Constitution.

"It means that the extra powers won't leave room for a dictatorship or authoritarianism," said Loebby, who is also a legal expert.

Another Golkar member, Lukman Harun, said that history had shown that the next president would not be able to exercise the extra powers easily.

"History tells us that the President made use of the special powers only once, in 1966," Lukman said.

The then provisional Assembly initiated the decree in 1966, and the succeeding Assemblies retained it in their General Sessions in 1973, 1978, 1983 and 1988.

Assembly Commission A almost finalized the draft of the 1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines, despite some initial reluctance from the minority factions.

PPP and PDI had originally wanted to add an overview of the economic crisis that has blighted the country over the past eight months to the draft.

Hartono said that both PPP and PDI dropped their motion after an explanation by Golkar legislator Rahardi Ramelan.

"Pak Rahardi told representatives of the two factions that Indonesia still had good economic prospects despite the crisis. It was not necessary therefore to put extra words into the draft," Hartono said of the deliberations of the Golkar-sponsored draft. (amd)