PKS boycotts interpellation motion

PKS boycotts interpellation motion

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has dealt an interpellation
motion against the government a major blow following the
withdrawal of its support for the move that was being spearheaded
by House of Representatives lawmakers from opposition parties.

The motion could be lost if Vice President Jusuf Kalla's
Golkar Party manages to persuade the National Awakening Party
(PKB) faction to follow suit.

PKB deputy chairman Mahfud M.D. admitted on Sunday that his
party had been approached by Golkar.

The interpellation seeks an explanation from the government
for a controversial circular disseminated by vice presidential
secretary Priyono Tjiptoherijanto last month, and was originally
signed by 19 lawmakers from the PKS, PKB, Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI-P), United Development Party (PPP),
National Mandate Party (PAN), Reform Star Party (PBR), Prosperous
Peace Party (PDS), and Democratic Pioneer Star (BPD) factions.

Kalla's Golkar and Susilo's Democratic Party refused to back
the move.

An interpellation motion requires support of at least 10
legislators from at least two factions, and then needs approval
from a plenary session of the House.

With the PKS' exit, the move could still succeed as the seven
factions supporting the motion control 321 of the 550 seats. But
if PKB, which has 56 seats, strikes a deal with Golkar, the
motion will fail.

PKS says the issuance of the circular was an internal problem
in the vice presidential office, thus requires no response from
the House.

"It's not a substantial matter. We considered the issue
settled after the secretary of the vice presidential office
resigned," PKS faction chairman Untung Wahono told The Jakarta
Post on Sunday.

Untung said PKS lawmaker Zulkieflimansyah had withdrawn his
signature in support of the motion.

The circular, which Priyono said was issued after a briefing
from Kalla, asks Cabinet ministers and heads of government
institutions to consult House leaders before attending hearings
of House commissions, which often turn into empty, time-wasting
debates.

Signatories to the motion said that Kalla had acted beyond his
authority.

Kalla denied having ordered Priyono to distribute the
circular.

PDI-P legislator Hasto Kristiyanto, one of the motion's
signatories, said the Vice President had gone beyond his
authority.

"We want clarification from the President if he instructed the
Vice President to assess the relationship between the House and
the government," he told the Post on Sunday.

House legislators had previously filed an interpellation
motion to seek clarification from the President over his decision
to revoke a decree of his predecessor, Megawati Soekarnoputri, on
the replacement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander.

Abdurrahman Wahid was the last president to appear before a
House plenary meeting to explain his decision to dismiss
Laksamana Sukardi and Jusuf Kalla as state ministers for alleged
corruption in 2001. Abdurrahman was later impeached.