Presidency bill awaits Constitution amendment

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Debate over a bill that regulates the president's powers must wait for the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, a legislator said, further pushing back its deliberation after more than 12 months' wait.

Firman Jayadaeli of the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Friday that discussion on the bill had not yet begun.

"We're in the midst of amending the Constitution, the bill has to wait," said Firman, a member of the House of Representatives.

He said ongoing talks over the Constitution meant the House would have to adjust the bill with the amendment outcome.

The amendment of the Constitution is one of the demands of the reform movement. Reformers have said the original Constitution lends too much power to the state's executive branch, mainly the president, at the expense of public control.

So far changes to the Constitution include shifting the initiative for drafting laws to the legislature from the president.

"The bill is the detailed interpretation of the Constitution," Firman explained.

He said the bill treated the president and the vice president as a political institution with rights and obligations. Relations with other state institutions also formed part of the bill, he added.

The House initiated the bill last year amid sour relations with then President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Critics have said legislators aimed to undermine the authority of Abdurrahman, who had been at loggerheads with the House for most of his 22-month tenure.

Months of impeachment calls eventually led to Abdurrahman's ouster last July before the House was able to pass the bill.

Interest in the bill diminished in the months after, and under the urging of the present government its debate was delayed.

Abdurrahman's successor, President Megawati Soekarnoputri of PDI Perjuangan, reportedly wanted more time to study the bill.

Firman however denied the bill came into being because of skirmishes with Abdurrahman.

He said the bill would ensure checks and balances between the president and the legislature. It aimed at protecting each institution from overstepping its powers by better defining the president's powers.

"We want to empower the presidency but at the same also determine its transparency and accountability," he said.

Firman could not say when the House would start discussing the bill, and when they expected to deliberate it. "It's still relevant though not that urgent."

Political analyst Fachry Ali doubted that legislators would start discussing the bill in the near future even if the amendment of the Constitution had been finalized.

"There are so many bills that legislators must work on and this isn't one of their priorities," he said.

According to him PDI Perjuangan, which takes up most of the House's seats, is in no hurry to get the bill passed.

"I fear that many of our legislators lack the vision to think beyond their political parties' short term interests."