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)