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Headings
1. Amen: 8 x 4 lines
MPR urged to share power with public
The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) seems to be mired in a deep dilemma.
If legislators cave in to public demands to have a say on amending the Constitution, they would dilute the long-established Assembly's authority to do so, while if they reject the call, the Assembly would be labeled as undemocratic.
Participants at a seminar reviewing the draft of the constitutional amendment repeated their calls for the establishment of a independent constitutional commission.
Constitutional observer Hasyim Djalal suggested that during its annual session in August the Assembly approve a clause recommending the establishment of a constitutional commission.
"The clause can be added to article 37 of the Constitution to accommodate the public's demand," Hasyim said at the seminar here on Friday.
Hadar N. Gumay of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) added that the legislators should open the amendment process to public participation.
According to Hadar, if the public throughout the country were given the opportunity to participate in the amendment process it would have a sense of ownership of the Constitution, thereby forging national unity.
Cetro and dozens of non-governmental groups have been campaigning for the establishment of an independent commission since 2000, but the Assembly members have given it the cold shoulder.
Instead of adopting the idea, the Assembly empowered itself by amending article 3. The original version of the article, which says that the Assembly has the authority to enact the Constitution and the Broad Guidelines of State Policy (GBHN) has been modified to mean that the Assembly has the authority to amend and enact the Constitution.
2. Maluku: 20 x 2 lines
TNI to maintain elite force presence in troubled areas
The Indonesian Military (TNI) says it will keep its Special Force (Kopassus) troops in conflict areas, despite increasing concerns Kopassus is participating in the conflicts.
TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said local military authorities in the troubled regions were responsible for their troops' behavior, including the soldiers' alleged involvement in several clashes.
3. Police: 32 x 1 line:
Angry police officers keep fighting
A number of high-ranking police officers are considering a legal fight at the State Administrative Court (PTUN) to challenge the National Police Headquarters' retirement age policy which will terminate their service.
The lawyer for the senior officers, Adnan Buyung Nasution, said his clients pondered the move after the Supreme Court suggested in its decree that the officers take legal measures to resolve the dispute.
"The Supreme Court has not done us any favors. We already knew that we needed to pursue this matter legally, but were hoping that the Supreme Court would further analyze the matter and issue a clear decision," Adnan told reporters at a seminar
The officers, including former Jakarta Police chief Comr. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb, resisted the National Police decision which stipulates that they are subject to the old retirement age of 55. The National Police Law No. 2/2002 sets the maximum retirement age at 58.
National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar has defended the controversial policy, saying that the new retirement age could not take effect until the government issues an operational regulation.
4. Army: 24 x 2 lines:
TNI awaits Megawati's nod for Army chief candidate
The Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters had completed the selecting process to promote its high ranking military officer to the Army top posts, an official said on Friday.
The TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin further said that the TNI is awaiting for the President Megawati Soekarnoputeri's decision to pick the name proposed by the high ranking promotions and duty rotation (wanjakti).
He, nevertheless, refused to disclose whether the Wanjakti has proposed more than one name to fill in the Army's top post, as well as its second top post.
"Now the TNI leave the decision to the President. I can't reveal whether or not the Wanjakti has proposed more than one name as the Army chiefs candidates," Sjafrie told the press briefing here.
The Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto currently controls two Army's top posts following the retirement of his deputy Lt. Gen. Kiki Syahnakrie early in May.
Nevertheless, Endriartono, the 1971 graduation of the Armed Forces Academy (Akabri), will likely leave his posts immediately should the House of Representatives approve the President's wish to have him as the TNI chief replacing Adm. Widodo A.S.
Rumor has rife that Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago, the incumbent TNI's chief of general affairs and also Endriartono's classmate, is a strong candidate to fill in the Army's top post, considering that he is the most senior officer among other three-star generals.
5. Labor: 32 x 1 line
Jamsostek backs govt plan on bank, hospital
As part of its altering image, state-owned insurance company PT Jamsostek will back the government's plan to establish a hospital and a bank for manual workers to help improve the social welfare of around 28 million low-income workers and their families.
Lukman Hakim, Jamsostek's finance director, said the decision was made as part of the company's internal reforms to improve its service to workers and their families.
"Jamsostek will set aside a part of its Rp 300 billion marginal profit in the 2001 fiscal year to help the health and banking program," he said at a workshop on the social security program for manual workers in the West Java town of Cipanas on Friday.
He explained the funds for the health and banking program will not be taken from its assets collected from workers but from its annual profits earned from its investments.
"We have requested the government allow us to hand over only 25 percent, instead of 50 percent of our 2001 profits as dividend so that we have tactical funds to support the planned establishment of a hospital and bank for manual workers," he said.
Jamsostek amassed Rp 2002 billion in profit in 2000 and Rp 300 billion in 2001 from its investment in numerous sectors. Until March 31, 2002, the company's assets amounted to Rp 17.4 trillion, mostly collected for the pension program under a social security scheme.
The hospital and bank program was initiated by Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nua Wea in a tripartite cooperation with labor unions and the Association of Indonesian Employers (Apindo).
Lukman said that for the sake of efficiency, Jamsostek has thrown its weight behind the government's plan to purchase a nationalized bank for the proposed bank.
"It is cheaper and more efficient to purchase a taken-over bank than establish a new bank that would absorb at least Rp 3 trillion," he said.