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.