MPR's Annual Session

MPR's Annual Session

From Media Indonesia

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Annual Session in 2001 needs to be carried out but, for the sake of efficiency and effectiveness, it would be better if it was scheduled after President Megawati's administration had served its first year in office. The Annual Session must evaluate what has been achieved as a result of the reforms undertaken thus far as, in my opinion, in the case of the reform movement, the people have given "a blank cheque" to their leaders.

In this context, the MPR should introduce reforms to the legal sector by issuing an MPR stipulation discharging all judges and prosecutors and then re-appointing some of them, subject to a strict selection process, to eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism. Then the MPR should issue another directive that would impose capital punishment on all officials, high and low, proven to be involved in corruption. These corrupt officials must be severely punished as a lesson to the community. For this purpose, the Annual Session of the MPR must set up a National Anti- Corruption Commission comprising law enforcement officials and community figures. They must be empowered to carry out interrogations and investigations, and be able to conduct thorough probes based on the reverse burden of proof principle.

FAISAL HAQ

Bekasi, West Java