PPP cautious on plan to cut House commissions

JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) is opting to wait and see what happens to an unprecedented plan to cut the number of House of Representatives commissions, a party official said yesterday.

PPP faction secretary Dja'far Siddiq said his party would instead promote its original amendment proposal to empower legislators to face the invincible government.

The House has been forced to revise its internal rules to accommodate the poor performance of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) in the May election, when it only won 11 seats.

A proposal by the ruling party, Golkar, to reduce the number of commissions seems the favorite way to cope with the PDI's under representation. The PDI and the Armed Forces factions are queuing up to support the plan.

The House now has 11 commissions.

A commission does not have a quorum without the presence of a representative from each House faction. Each party must also have a representative in the House's leadership. Legislators in the leadership are not allowed to be members of House commissions or committees.

The House has set up a team of 21 legislators, including the chairman and secretary of each faction, to discuss proposed changes to internal rules. The team is expected to release its findings by July 22.

"We did not touch on Golkar's proposal in our recent internal talks. Let's see how the floor responds to the plan in the team's next plenary meeting," Dja'far said.

Each faction is finishing its own amendment proposal to be presented at the team's next meeting scheduled for next Wednesday.

He said that some PPP members had offered to compromise with Golkar.

"They agree to cutting the House commissions to 10 by replacing the commission in charge of the state budget with a special committee," Dja'far said.

But he doubted that the dissolution of the state budget commission would support the party's determination to empower the House.

"The commission is a strategic one because it deals with the state's funds. A special committee cannot perform as effectively as a permanent commission which works on state budgetary matters 12 months a year," he said.

He said he personally opposed Golkar's proposal because it would reduce legislators' efficiency.

"Two commissions will merge into a new and overcrowded one. It will fall short in deliberations and not have enough time to listen to each of its members who may have a brilliant idea," he said.

He suggested that the House maintain its 11 commissions but modify the quorum requirement to only three factions. The current rules say that decision making must involve all four factions.

"Such a quorum works in provincial legislative bodies. Why doesn't it apply in the House?" he said.

PPP legislators submitted a proposal in early April to amend the House rules in the wake of growing public demands for democracy and a quality legislative body.

They said legislators required a mechanism which improved their mobility and self-reliance.

The internal rules, revised in 1983, are said to discourage legislators' initiative and reduce their role to merely rubber stamping government policies. (amd)