PDI Perjuangan blamed for stalling debate on Constitution

Abu Hanifah and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The United Development Party (PPP) and Reform factions are blaming the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI- Perjuangan) for stalling deliberation of constitutional reform.

They say that legislators from the PDI Perjuangan, the country's largest party, have been half-hearted in responding to popular demands for amendment of the Constitution.

Lukman Hakim from the United Development Party (PPP) said that some conservative legislators were purposely stalling the passage of the amendment so as to advance their personal interests.

"We can see it from the statements of some legislators on Commission A (on the amendment of the Constitution) who want the Constitution to remain unchanged," Lukman told journalists.

Although he did not mention the identity of the legislators, it is understood that Lukman was referring to figures like Abdul Madjid, a senior legislator from the PDI Perjuangan.

Madjid had earlier said that the 1945 Constitution was a bequest from the nation's founding fathers and so must be left untouched.

PPP members have criticized Madjid's statement as being no longer relevant.

The PDI Perjuangan wants the issue of the unresolved articles to be brought up for further deliberation at the Annual Session next year.

A member of the Reform faction, Umirza Abidin, said that he was also of the opinion that PDI Perjuangan legislators were half-hearted in their proposal for the setting up of a constitutional commission.

According to Umirza, the plan should be carried out in a radical way by firstly amending Articles 3 and 37 of the Constitution.

Article 3 provides that the Assembly enacts the Constitution and State Policy Guidelines while Article 37 provides that an amendment of the Constitution must be past by at least two-thirds of the Assembly's members.

Meanwhile, leading PDI Perjuangan figure Jacob Tobing explained that his faction's preference for postponing deliberation of crucial constitutional issues until next year was so as to allow more time for improvements.

The year 2002 is the deadline for the current proposed constitutional amendment to be past.

"The difference whether it is enacted now or in 2002 is quite significant. If it is enacted in 2002, then everything would be better prepared so that the optimum results may be forthcoming," he said.

The PDI Perjuangan has been adamant in its rejection of voting as the method of deciding on the amendment of the Constitution.