PDI questions extra presidential power

PDI questions extra presidential power

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction
delayed its stance yesterday over dominant Golkar's motion to
grant extra power to the next president, saying that the proposal
needed further explanation.

Spokesmen for the minority faction Ismunandar and Yahya Theo
told an ad hoc committee session of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) yesterday that Golkar failed to cite security and
long-term reasons behind its campaign to give excessive power to
the next president.

"We need very strong arguments on why we have come to this
conclusion (to have a more powerful president) ... (in order) to
prevent public speculation that the country is endangered,"
Ismunandar said.

"Never assume that the public will (automatically) share our
perception," he added.

Golkar and the regional representatives faction told the
session presided over by Wiranto of the Armed Forces that the
next president would need "constitutional power that allows him
or her to take preemptive measures against any activities which
endanger national unity, the development program, Pancasila
democracy, the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945
Constitution".

The two factions put forward their proposal in response to
President Soeharto's advice during a crash course for new
legislators in August that the Assembly should consider granting
extra power, given the country's greater challenges in the
future.

Golkar spokesman Toni Hartono said monetary turmoil, accidents
at sea, in the air and on land, widespread forest fires and a
severe drought had confirmed the need for the faction's bid.

"We don't want certain groups to take advantage of the
disasters. If those calamities occur in the future ... we must
think about and prepare constitutional instruments to prevent the
worst from happening," Toni said.

Chairman of the Golkar faction in the Assembly, Ginandjar
Kartasasmita, and his Armed Forces counterpart Lt. Gen. Yunus
Yosfiah, attended the session. It was their first appearance in
an ad hoc committee meeting since the Assembly's general session
kicked off on Oct. 27.

Spokesman of the Armed Forces faction Achmad Roestandi said
national stability remained under control, but it was logical to
give the next president extra power to save development programs
and national unity. He cited pluralism and globalization which
left the country vulnerable to infiltration, subversion and the
use of arms by other countries.

"(With the extra presidential power) those who will try to
subvert this country will think twice or three times or will even
abandon their attempts," Roestandi said.

He said the President should, however, exercise the power as
the last resort and only after consulting the House of
Representatives.

Yahya of PDI said the faction would like the Armed Forces
faction to describe national and international politics before
unveiling its stance on Golkar's proposal.

The United Development Party (PPP) faction agreed to the plan
only if it was incorporated in the State Policy Guidelines.

Its spokesman, Zain Badjeber, said the extra power -- or
"special duties" as the Moslem-based faction calls it, was
relevant to the president as he or she is the person who executes
the Assembly's mandate in the form of the State Policy
Guidelines.

The deliberation will resume today to hear PDI's stance on the
issue.

In the other ad hoc committee session deliberating the State
Policy Guidelines, all the five factions discussed a new stance
on social and mass organizations.

PPP spokesman Muhammad Buang hinted that the Assembly was
considering having the 1985 Law on Mass Organizations reviewed.
(amd)