New 'faction' on lofty platform

JAKARTA (JP): People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais has recognized a new faction whose members do not have the right to speak, interrupt, not to mention vote, despite the fact that they sit above the rest of the Assembly's legislators.

"I implore 'the balcony faction' to stay calm and do not disturb the proceedings of this session," Amien said, referring to a throng of jubilant journalists who welcomed the Assembly's vote rejecting President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech on Tuesday night.

The title was introduced on Sunday by members of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction who were irritated by the noise.

What was at first a snide aside has now become accepted. The fact that none of the journalists objected to Amien's recognition of the existence of the "faction" was evidence that the nickname was finally accepted, whether they liked it or not. (amd)