New Assembly members sworn in

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly, bearing the task of setting the nation on the course of democracy, solemnly began its General Session on Friday amid tight security.

Hundreds of military and police personnel were stationed around the Assembly building as members of the country's highest law-making body took the oath of office.

The stately ceremony was unmarred by incident, except for a scattering of boos aimed at President B.J. Habibie as he strode into the Assembly hall. Others in attendance clapped the entrance of the President, whose smile never left his face.

This breach of etiquette drew a protest from National Mandate Party legislator A.M. Fatwa, who interrupted the chairman of the session, Sujitno Harjosudiro, to ask him to rebuke the unruly Assembly members.

"This is the highest institution in the state. I want you, on behalf of all of us, to reprimand those who booed," Fatwa said.

Sujitno, who was appointed to preside over the session until a speaker of the Assembly is elected on Saturday, responded to the request by saying: "Assembly members must behave, and I approve the admonishment."

Chief Justice Sarwata led the separate swearing-in ceremonies for members of the Assembly and the House of Representatives.

All but two House legislators turned up for the ceremony. The General Elections Commission (KPU) has yet to clear up the legal difficulties surrounding the last-minute appointments of Indonesian National Party-Marhaen chairman Probosutedjo and Democratic Catholic Party chairman Markus Mali to the House.

Neither Probosutedjo, a half-brother of former president Soeharto, and Markus should have qualified for the House because their parties did not win a sufficient number of votes in their respective constituencies, according to the Elections Law. The KPU, however, granted them seats in the House.

A total of 628 of the 700 Assembly members were installed on Friday.

The Assembly is composed of 500 House legislators, including 38 representatives of the Indonesian Military and the National Police, plus 165 regional and 65 interest group representatives.

In a rare break from tradition, Assembly members expressed their newfound freedom by remaining seated when the head of state entered the hall.

The new Assembly also limited the time given the President for his opening speech to the Assembly, something which never happened to his predecessor Soeharto. According to the schedule issued by the House/Assembly Secretariat General, the President was allotted 20 minutes for his speech.

Later in the General Session, the President will have to give his accountability speech to the Assembly, which will also elect the next president.

In his televised speech, the President congratulated the new Assembly members and exhorted them to do their best to aid the process of democratization in the country, to promote human rights and the rule of law and seek ways to help the country emerge from its economic crisis.

Habibie also threw his weight behind the demand for amendments to the Constitution, but warning that such changes should be aimed at preventing government from holding an absolute power.

"The amendment should assure that the government will not be too dominant nor discourage democratization," he said.

Habibie specifically deplored the use of street rallies as a means to express people's demands. He said demonstrations would wreak havoc to the ongoing process of economic recovery in the country.

"Economic recovery requires a conducive and stable sociopolitical atmosphere," he said.

On a somber note, an officer providing security at the session died from a heart attack.

Physician Muhammad Arifin told reporters that Chief Warrant Officer M. Tunjung, 43, a member of the Jakarta Military Command's intelligence unit, died despite medical personnel's efforts to resuscitate him.

Witnesses said the officer was watching the live television broadcast of the Assembly members being sworn in before he passed away. (emf/byg/rms/amd)