MPR to discuss crucial constitution amendments
JAKARTA (JP): An ad hoc committee of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) for the amendment of the 1945 Constitution will discuss numerous crucial issues that could raise complicated and serious problems for the public, a legislator said on Tuesday.
Jacob Tobing, chairman of the ad hoc committee, said political party factions in the committee have proposed for an amendment of the Constitution's chapters on the Supreme Advisory Council, the Supreme Court and the presidential election mechanism.
"Any changes to the current chapters will certainly bring changes to the present political system, including the law and MPR decrees," he said after the committee's meeting on Tuesday.
Many minority factions have proposed to phase out the Supreme Advisory Council and, instead, establish an advisory team for president, while the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction has called for the empowerment of the state institution.
Jacob said many factions have proposed to return the authority of judicial review to the Supreme Court from the Assembly.
"So far, the judicial review is still in the hands of the MPR and there is no problem if authority is returned to the Supreme Court," he said.
The legislator said the factions also proposed a direct presidential election to ensure the legitimacy of an elected president.
"If the proposal for a direct presidential election is accepted, the ad hoc committee must amend the chapters on general elections and the Assembly's tasks," he said.
Pataniari Siahaan, a member of the PDI Perjuangan faction, said his faction would not support a direct presidential election because the public are not yet ready for such a mechanism.
"The public's political awareness has yet to improve, while money politics will be prevalent if Indonesia holds a direct presidential election in 2004," he said, while adding Indonesia must adopt a district system in the next general election if the proposal for a direct presidential election is accepted.
Jacob said Muslim minority factions have again proposed the writing of syariah Islam in the Constitution. The move was turned down in the Assembly's annual session last August.
"This proposal is likely to increase hostility among the political elite again and the public could become a potential threat to national unity," he said.
Hamdan B. Zoelva, a member of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction, said his faction and other Islamic groups would continue to fight for the writing of the syariah Islam in the Constitution to give an umbrella for laws regulating Muslims' religious life in the country.
"The Constitution must guarantee the presence of laws on haj pilgrimage and on alms and the planned implementation of syariah Islam in Aceh," he said.
Zoelva denied the allegation that with the proposal, Muslim factions were fighting to win Muslim people's votes in the 2004 elections. (rms)