MPR to discuss crucial constitution amendments

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)