MPR urged to complete amendment

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Students Executive Board (BEM) staged a peaceful demonstration at the People's Consultative Assembly building, demanding the Assembly complete the amendment being made to the 1945 Constitution before 2004.

They met with the Assembly's ad hoc committee preparing the amendment to the Constitution to voice their demands.

The students, who were received by deputy chairman of the ad hoc committee Slamet Effendy Yusuf, called on the Assembly to complete the ongoing amendment, press for the eradication of corruption and investigate human right abuses, before 2004.

The students also demanded the government terminate cooperation with the IMF as of 2002.

"We should learn from Malaysia and Thailand on how to defuse the economic crisis," said a student.

The students also supported the bill on general elections that proposes to eliminate seats for servicemen and the police in the legislature. --JP