No Q and A in DPD meeting

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