NGO activists unimpressed with legilators
NGO activists unimpressed with legilators
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Non-governmental activists who monitor the People's
Consultative Assembly's Annual Session are not impressed by what
the politicians have done. They say the legislators are not
serious in dealing with critical state issues.
Iva Kasuma of the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW): From what
I've learned from this year's Annual Session, we have to tell the
people to be ready for disappointment. Nothing that they have
decided here, is even close to what the people have expected.
I want to specifically comment on the decree on the
eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN)
practices.
I do not see the political will from politicians to push
forward with the reform agenda. The downgrading of the penalty
from dismissal to "administrative sanctions" for officials found
guilty of involvement in KKN is sound evidence of that.
Hasannudin M.KH., researcher at the Center for Indonesian Law
and Policy Studies: As in previous years, this year's Annual
Session has failed to produce decisions that can live up to
people's expectations.
All we can see out there was the people's representatives
fighting for their own interests, not for the interests of the
people.
The way I see it, we can no longer nurture our hopes on the
so-called people's representatives.
Satpamanto, not his real name, a security guard at the
legislative building: There is always bitter feelings every time
the Annual Session comes to an end.
The wage I receive is not worth the efforts. There is no clear
rule on how much security guards will receive whereas I am
ordered to be on alert 24 hours a day during this session.
Now I earn less than I did during the New Order era (1966-
1998) when legislators were more generous with tips. Now, nobody
cares about giving me tips.
Vincent Herman Mosafoa, a Rendu tribal leader from Flores,
East Nusa Tenggara and a session observer: I hoped that I would
get something by attending the Assembly session.
I was disappointed that the distinguished people (Assembly
members) were unable to set a good example to ordinary people, as
they proved when they scuffled at the forum.
I am also disappointed because, although I had observer
status, I was barred from entering the conference room when
President Megawati was present, simply because I wore my
traditional clothing and was barefoot.
I think they discriminate against people like me. I had just
come from Geneva after attending a forestry meeting there. They
respected my traditional clothes. Why was I despised here?
Afrizal Tjutra, the Indonesian Foundation to Strengthen
People's Participation, Partnership and Initiative (Yappika): I
was disappointed by Assembly annual sessions in the past.
This year's session is the worst because it opened with
physical violence. It was a scuffle, really.
Many politicians are not serious about the session. They are
absent from meetings, come late or even hang around in their
hotel. They spend a lot of taxpayers' money on unproductive
activities.
Firmansyah, Consortium for National Legal Reform: I don't see
anything to show that the Assembly has the will to push for
political reform.
Legislators are still reluctant to let the public participate
in the political process, as is obvious from the politicians'
refusal to set up an independent constitutional commission.
Not only that, the Assembly also still wants to retain a
dominant role in presidential elections.
Hadar N. Gumay, Center for Electoral Reform: The Assembly's
Commission A in charge of constitutional amendment comprises two
camps, the conservative and the progressive.
The conservative, which is in the majority, wants little
change to the Constitution, while the progressives want to see it
totally reformed but, unfortunately, they are outnumbered.
Jufni Ashari, Solidarity Center: I want to see legislators in
the Assembly discuss more realistic problems facing the nation,
particularly how to help our economy recover, otherwise it will
collapse.
They should also discuss how to deal with the burden of our
huge foreign debt.
Dewi Suralaga, WWF Indonesia: Let me talk only about the draft
decree on agrarian reform and natural resources management.
I'm afraid that the decree will only worsen the exploitation
of natural resources because it allows more opportunities for
that.
The problem is that overexploitation does not benefit the
people but only the privileged few. If the exploitation
continues, people will remain poor, the capitalists and
corruptors will get richer and our invaluable natural resources
be further depleted.
Robert J.E. Nalenan, an Indonesian Catholic Student
Association activist: In fact the Assembly should focus on the
many national priorities, such as improving our presidential
election system and other issues related to the amendment of the
constitution.
But we do not see the legislators giving due attention to the
changes the people are demanding. They still fight for their own
political interests.
What concerns me most is the embarrassing scuffling at the
beginning of the session. I question the effectiveness of the
Assembly's Annual Session which has cost a lot of taxpayers'
money.