Public inputs needed for cabinet ministry bill

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.