Public inputs needed for cabinet ministry bill

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta

Legislature-watch Formappi urged legislators on Monday to engage the public in the deliberation of the Cabinet ministry bill.

The House of Representatives is currently discussing the bill as mandated by the newly amended Constitution.

Article 17 (4) of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that the establishment of, the change and the dissolution of a Cabinet ministry is regulated by law.

The stipulation allows the House to intervene in the establishment of a Cabinet ministry, despite the fact that Indonesia adopts the presidential system of government.

The House has agreed that the next administration must have at least 19 Cabinet ministries with offices in the regions. A law endorsed by the House would automatically take effect with or without the signature of the incumbent president.

Formappi secretary-general Sebastian Salang said the public should be given the chance to submit its inputs on the bill.

Sebastian criticized the House for failing to give substantial reasons behind the establishment of what have been called historical ministries, which he said could affect the performance of the Cabinet.

Legislator Baharuddin Aritonang said three aspects were taken into account when the House outlined the Cabinet lineup set out in the bill.

The three aspects were international tradition, historical reasons and national need.

The ministries outlined to comply with international tradition are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The inclusion of some ministries -- including Ministries of Religious Affairs, Health, Social Affairs and Education -- were said to be more due to historical reasons.

Ministries set up based on national needs would rest in the hands of the elected President.

Aritonang defended the inclusion of Ministry of Religious Affairs in the Cabinet lineup, saying that it was set out in the Constitution.

"The inclusion of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the Cabinet is unique to Indonesia. We are aware of the criticism (of the existence of the cabinet ministry). They may forget that the Indonesian government has been supervising the religious life of its citizens," he said.

Responding to calls for a public hearing, Aritonang said that the legislators had heard inputs from the public.

However, a staff member at the House secretariat said that legislators had not organized a public hearing to get inputs for the bill.

"The only input the legislators have gotten so far comes from women's organizations which asked legislators to keep the ministry of women's empowerment," said a staff member who wished to remain anonymous.

Legislators are waiting for President Megawati Soekarnoputri to assign related Cabinet ministers to deliberate the bill together with the House.

The bill is expected to be endorsed before September to give the elected president guidelines in setting up his or her Cabinet.