MPR unlikely to set up constitutional commission

Kurniawan Hari and Abu Hanifah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The debate on the creation of a constitutional commission suffered a setback on Tuesday.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) insisted on strengthening its team of experts in charge of amending the Constitution rather than setting up a new commission.

However, the MPR will still be open to input from the public, which will be discussed at next month's Annual Session.

"It would be more practical to boost the performance of the Assembly's Working Committee," said Rambe Kamarulzaman, chairman of the MPR Ad Hoc committee in charge of the constitutional amendment.

The constitutional commission was proposed by President Megawati Soekarnoputri in her maiden state-of-the-nation address in August. The idea received a warm response, especially from democracy activists.

But to many people's disappointment, the MPR has been working just on the amendment instead of overhauling the 1945 Constitution, which critics say is outdated.

Another disappointment came on Monday when the constitutional commission was not included on the agenda of the MPR's Annual Session next month.

It was regarded as a surprising announcement because at least three factions in the MPR had previously backed the establishment of a constitutional commission.

Hadar N. Gumay from the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) said that the Assembly's reluctance to raise the constitutional reforms at next month's session was a big disappointment.

"It's strange. These factions had proposed the establishment of the constitutional commission, but they did not fight for that," he told The Jakarta Post.

The MPR working committee has finished deliberating on the draft amendment of 12 chapters of the 1945 Constitution, including those on the regional legislative council, general election and the state audit body.

The exclusion of the constitutional commission on next month's agenda also dismayed Mahfud M.D., a legal observer and former justice minister.

He said that the Assembly's refusal to put it on the upcoming session's agenda showed that political factions put their short- term interests before those of the nation.

Non-governmental organization activists have demanded an independent commission to draft a new Constitution without involving the Assembly or political parties.