Policy strategists at odds with House over new bill

Policy strategists at odds with House over new bill

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta

House of Representatives (DPR) members on Monday criticized the
campaign teams of the five presidential candidates for failing to
offer anything of value regarding the Cabinet bill that they are
deliberating upon.

Instead of offering input to the lawmakers, most of the people
representing the campaign teams rejected the "interference" of
the House in changing the Cabinet structures, saying it was a
prerogative of the President.

Effendi Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB) said the
ideas and opinions put forth by the candidates' strategists were
not useful.

"The campaign people did not have valuable input," Choirie
told a hearing presided over by Sukardjo Hardjosoewirjo of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) here.

A group of 30 inter-faction legislators proposed the bill in
March. It was created in order to prevent the President from
dissolving a ministry without the House's consent.

The House's committee deliberating on the bill invited the
five presidential candidates to Monday's hearing, but their main
policy strategists showed up instead.

Barlianta Harahap of the United Development Party (PPP) said
he had expected the presidential candidates to disclose their
tentative Cabinet line-ups.

Christina Rantetana of the Indonesian Military/Police faction
also raised similar concerns, saying she did not understand what
the strategists were talking about.

Bomer Pasaribu, representing the Wiranto-Solahuddin Wahid
campaign team, was given the first chance to speak. But, instead
of presenting his ideas, Bomer questioned some of the articles in
the bill, which was prepared by the House's Legislation Body
(Baleg).

He suggested that the bill allow the President to remain
flexible in the formation of the Cabinet, depending on the
priority of a given development program within a ministry.

Bomer's colleague Muhammad A.S. Hikam criticized an article in
the bill that restricts ministerial posts to only people with a
relevant educational background.

Hikam was a political analyst when then president Abdurrahman
Wahid named him the research and technology minister.

Soewarno, a member of the Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi campaign
team, said the House's "interference" in the formation of the
Cabinet violated the presidential system.

"In a presidential system, the President has the full
authority to form the Cabinet without having to heed the House's
advice," he said.

PDI-P legislator Permadi quickly responded. He asserted that
the President's prerogative must be respected by all
institutions, but reminded Soewarno that the authority of the
President was not unlimited.

"The House will not interfere in the formation of the Cabinet,
but will simply offer input," he said.

Icuk Zulkamil from the Amien-Siswono team, meanwhile,
suggested that a specific ministry should be set up to handle
people's empowerment in border areas.

T.B. Silalahi of the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla team
suggested that the President be given one year to work before
consulting the House.

Abu Hasan Sazili of the Hamzah-Agum campaign team said his
they would simply follow whatever the Constitution states. Abu
added that any Cabinet should be formed as a means to reaching
"national goals" as spelled out in the Constitution.