MPR to accommodate regional representatives' proposal
MPR to accommodate regional representatives' proposal
JAKARTA (JP): An ad hoc subcommittee of the People's
Consultative Assembly pledged to follow up on a proposal to
reestablish the regional representative faction in the Assembly
during the body's upcoming special session.
Rambe Kamarulzaman, the chairman of the subcommittee preparing
two draft decrees on the appointment of Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri as the new president and on the appointment of a
new vice president, said the regional representatives' proposal
to reform their faction would be brought to the plenary session
of the Assembly's Working Committee and to the MPR leadership in
two weeks time.
"It is the Working Committee's authority to decide the agenda
of the special session. If it accepts the regional
representatives' proposal, the ad hoc subcommittee will insert
the proposal in our agenda," Rambe said during a consultation
meeting with the regional representatives here on Wednesday.
He added that the ad hoc subcommittee would also discuss the
proposal with the MPR leadership, since the Assembly's Working
Committee recently announced the only item on the special
session's agenda would be to demand President Abdurrahman Wahid
present his accountability speech.
Oesman Sapta, the chairman of the Forum of Regional
Representatives, vowed that the regional representatives would
fight to reestablish their faction during the special session,
saying the proposal had gained the support of numerous factions
and the MPR leadership.
"The reestablishment of the regional representative faction is
only a matter of time and the special session will be an
appropriate time to do this," he said.
John Robert Fakkiri, representing Irian Jaya, warned the
Working Committee against turning a blind eye to their proposal,
saying the regional representatives would undertake political
maneuvers to disturb the special session if their demand was not
heeded.
"More than 100 of 130 regional representatives are determined
to disturb the special session if the special session fails to
give a positive response to our proposal," he said without
elaborating.
He conceded that he felt uneasy receiving a monthly honorarium
of Rp 1.8 million while doing nothing for the people he
represents in Irian Jaya.
Ali M., who represents East Java, noted that the 130 regional
representatives could walk out of the special session, or support
the embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid, if their proposal was
not adopted.
"We are determined to retaliate for the Assembly's decision to
dissolve the regional representative faction during the 1999
annual session," he said. (rms)