No Q and A in DPD meeting

JAKARTA: The unprecedented Regional Representatives Council (DPD) plenary meeting scheduled to be convened to hear a presidential speech on Aug. 23 will not involve a question and answer session, a legislator said.

DPD deputy speaker Irman Gusman said on Friday that the 128 legislators would convene to be briefed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono about his administration's regional development policies.

"To follow up on the speech, we will hold a series of hearings with Cabinet ministers," Irman said.

Governors, regents and mayors will also attend the plenary meeting at the national legislative complex. The meeting will last 90 minutes, starting at 10:00 a.m.

The DPD had also invited House of Representatives lawmakers to attend, but the House said that only its leaders would be present.

The DPD had demanded that the President deliver his state of the nation address to a joint session of the House and DPD on Aug. 16, but to no avail. -- Antara