Next election depends on MPR

Next election depends on MPR

Kurniawan Hari and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Legislators gave the go-ahead on Wednesday for an amendment to
the constitution, which is currently being implemented by the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), despite recent attempts to
block its process.

Should the amendment fail to materialize, it would bring to a
halt the endorsement of bills on political parties and elections,
thereby disrupting the 2004 general election, according to
legislator Slamet Effendy Yusuf.

"That is our priority -- if we can't reach a consensus, we may
vote on that issue," said Slamet, deputy chairman of the
Assembly's ad hoc committee for constitutional amendment (PAH I).

Slamet said that, besides bills on political parties and the
general election, the composition of the MPR would also be a hot
topic during the plenary session of the Assembly in August.

Under the new composition, the Functional Group faction will
be dissolved in line with a plan to create a bicameral system,
consisting of the House and the Regional Legislative Councils
(DPD), with the aim of boosting democracy.

The dissolution of the Functional Group faction from the
Assembly is supposed to be a consequence of the proposed
establishment of the bicameral system.

The 11 factions at the MPR have yet to reach agreement on the
amendment on that issue.

During a recent meeting of the PAH I at the Sheraton Hotel
here, members of the Functional Group faction insisted that its
existence be maintained.

Soedijarto of the functional group said that last year's
amendment, which resulted in the inclusion of Articles 22C and
22D on DPD, had totally altered the state administrative system.

"This is a radical modification of state administrative
system," Soedijarto told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Meanwhile, advocacy director of the Center for Electoral
Reform (Cetro) Hadar N. Gumay said that the opposition to the
amendment was mainly prompted by the lack of clear concept of the
amendment itself.

The lack of a clear concept, Hadar added, had created
confusion among the legislators, some of whom then expressed
opposition to it.

Separately, more supports appear for the continuation of the
amendment of the constitution, and this time comes from the
Crescent and Star Party (PBB).

PBB lashed out on Wednesday over the recent move by the Forum
for Constitutional Studies (FKIK) to block the amendment of the
constitution being carried out by the MPR.

"The central board of the party reminds the MPR not to be
trapped into wishful thinking that the constitution is sacred,
and cannot be amended," said Hamdan Zoelva, the deputy secretary
general of the party, as he read out a party statement at a press
conference here.

According to PBB, the political move by FKIK would merely
hamper the reform movement, establishing the status quo.

Alternative 1: The People's Consultative Assembly consists of
members of the House of Representatives, and members of the
Regional Legislative Councils elected through general election,
and the representatives of Functional Group which is regulated by
further law.

Alternative 2: The People's Consultative Assembly consists of
members of the House of Representatives, and members of the
Regional Legislative Councils elected through general election
and will be regulated by further law.