PPP casts session off course

PPP casts session off course

JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) legislators
on Monday abandoned a tough session in the deliberation of the
political bills, which again saw factions undecided over issues
of the Armed Forces' (ABRI) unelected House seats, electoral
districts and the role of civil servants in politics.

The PPP legislators were markedly absent in the meeting of the
House Special Committee. When asked, however, a PPP legislator
said it was out of "worries" that they would be made to vote on
the issues, while another said it was not a boycott.

The PPP, however, will join the other faction leaders of
Golkar, the Armed Forces (ABRI) and the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) in a lobbying session on Tuesday morning at 7:30. The
actual meeting of the Special Committee is scheduled to begin at
9 a.m.

Monday's session, scheduled to hear progress reports from
working committees that have been exploring details of the bills
for the past month, was aborted. Special committee chairman Abu
Hasan Sazili opened the session at 2 p.m. but closed it ten
minutes later, after announcing that faction leaders needed more
time for lobbying as they were holding their stances on all the
issues.

Sazili pointed out that the public already knew the factions'
arguments on the issues at hand, but, he insisted, "it's now time
to look for a meeting of minds," he said.

Soon after the session, Sazili, Minister of Home Affairs
Syarwan Hamid and ministry staff member Ryaas Rasyid, and faction
leaders -- Zarkasih Nur and Bachtiar Chamsyah of the PPP, Andi
Matallata of Golkar, Y.B. Wiyanjono and Buttu Hutapea of the PDI
and Budi Harsono of ABRI -- held another closed door meeting.

The session began at around 2:30 p.m. and concluded after 6
p.m., but still no commitment was produced.

"We'll resume talks at 7:30 tomorrow (Tuesday)," Zarkasih
said.

Both Sazili and Zarkasih confirmed no agreement was reached in
the hasty meeting.

However, Sazili told a news conference earlier that factions
remained committed to passing the bills on Jan. 28.

Sazili said the absence of most PPP legislators in the morning
session was not a problem as one of them, Djufrie Asmoredjo, who
is Sazili's deputy on the special committee, was in attendance.

Djufrie, however, told reporters separately that the PPP
legislators were absent because they were "worried" they would be
made to vote on the issues.

PPP legislator Harminto Agustono said the party "is not trying
to delay the passing of the bills but would like to see our
aspirations expressed in them."

Harminto said the decision not to attend the session was
approved by PPP chairman Hamzah Haz, who is also the state
minister of investment.

Robbani Thoha, also of PPP, said the move was not a boycott.

A number of PPP legislators told journalists they would not
attend the bills deliberation sessions -- and thus not be held
responsible for resulting legislations -- if Golkar tries to
force its will over the crucial issues.

Separately, PDI legislator Y.B. Wiyanjono said his faction
would make the same move as PPP.

Wiyanjono, the sole PDI legislator sitting in the earlier
session of the Special Committee, said his faction was waiting to
see ABRI's stance over the disputed matters. "If ABRI backs
Golkar, PDI will follow in PPP's footsteps," Wiyanjono said.

Some analysts said PPP and PDI would not agree to a vote
because Golkar, with its majority, would surely win.

In the 87-member House Special Committee, Golkar has 52
legislators, while PPP has 19, PDI has five and ABRI has 14.

There are three major issues being disputed.

One is the allocation of unelected seats to ABRI. PPP insists
ABRI be given only 3 percent of seats in the House as well as in
the provincial and regency legislatures. Golkar insists on 8
percent. PDI is undecided, while ABRI has not yet made its wishes
clear.

Still disputed were the number of seats in the 700-member
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), and the number of regional
as well as group representations in the MPR.

Regarding electoral districts, Golkar wanted the June 7 poll
to be conducted at the regency level, while PPP and PDI argued
for the provincial level.

Regarding a neutral bureaucracy, PPP said it wanted a
government regulation in lieu of a law (Perpu) -- instead of a
weaker government regulation (PP) -- to ban the 4.1 million civil
servants from joining political parties.

Golkar, long reliant on the bureaucracy for its election
victories, has argued that the political rights of the civil
servants must not be infringed upon. (aan)