New parliament, old attitude?

Leaders of the House of Representatives have asked the President to ratify a draft law stipulating the conditions for declaring a state of emergency. The draft was passed in September 1999 by the legislature during the tenure of the Development Reform Cabinet. At that time though, it met with fierce opposition from demonstrators who proclaimed they represented students and the community.

We were naturally surprised to learn that a legitimate House of Representatives is now asking that the same draft be ratified. The consideration for doing so, too, is the same: to provide a legal basis for anticipating emergencies. Legislators also consider this draft to be more progressive than the old antisubversion law.

Should the law be ratified, we have reason to ask whether all governments are actually the same in their inclination to try to stay in power. This is not a mere question of consistency, but of morality.

-- Republika, Jakarta