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.