MPR unlikely to set up constitutional commission

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Constitution, which critics say is outdated.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.