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.