MPR sets up commissions

MPR sets up commissions

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the
country's highest legislative body, set up on Sunday four
commissions with the task of debating the various decrees
proposed by the MPR working committees, including rulings on the
fate of East Timor and incumbent President B.J. Habibie's
election bid.

MPR Speaker Amien Rais said Commission A is in charge of
deliberating the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN); Commission B is
for East Timor and the mechanism for the presidential election on
Wednesday; Commission C is for the amendments of the 1945
Constitution and Commission D is for Habibie's accountability
speech.

Amien said that the 11 factions of the MPR were represented in
each of the commissions, which started working late on Sunday and
are expected to complete their tasks on Monday.

The results from each commission will be submitted to the MPR
plenary session for approval through a vote or consensus.

Commission D, which will decide on whether to reject or accept
Habibie's accountability speech, is chaired by legislator Yusuf
Muhammad of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction.

Habibie defended on Sunday his performance records during his
16-month administration, which received outright disapproval from
four factions, wide-ranging criticisms from six factions and full
endorsement from one minor faction.

Apart from other commission meetings, the Commission D session
was closed to reporters. Legislators said the decision on the
accountability speech might have to be taken through a voting
mechanism at the MPR plenary session on Tuesday, a day before the
presidential election.

Commission B is chaired by Sabam Sirait of the PDI Perjuangan
faction.

This commission will decide, among other things, on whether to
ratify the result of the referendum in East Timor.

President B.J. Habibie has been under fire for offering an
option of independence through a referendum for the East Timor
province, in which more than 78 percent of East Timorese opted on
Aug. 30 against autonomy.

This commission is also in charge of formulating the mechanism
for the presidential election, including a voting procedure.

There has been a suggestion that each presidential candidate
should present his or her vision before the MPR prior to the
election.

Commission A, chaired by legislator Theo Sambuaga of the
Golkar Party faction, is tasked to deliberate State Policy
Guidelines which will serve as directives for the new government
for the next five years.

Commission C on amendments to the Constitution is chaired by
Zen Badjeber of the PPP faction. (rei/05)