Referendum urged to break impasse on commision

Referendum urged to break impasse on commision

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators, experts and activists from non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) call for a national referendum
to break the impasse in a tug-of-war between the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) and NGOs on the constitutional
commission.

They said on Friday the referendum was needed to hear the
people's voice on the proposed establishment of an independent
commission to conduct a comprehensive amendment to the 1945
Constitution.

Aberson Marle Sihaloho, a legislator from the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said a national
referendum was the best alternative to determine whether the
public supported the proposed constitutional commission or not.

"In facing the division between the Assembly and the NGOs over
this proposal, it would be better for the nation to hold a
national referendum to learn whether the public supports the
establishment of an independent constitutional commission or
not," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He said, however, that the fundamental elements to be
questioned at the referendum should not only be the
constitutional commission but also public opinion on the proposed
direct presidential vote and implementation of a district system
in the next general election.

"From the referendum, we will be able to know what the
majority of people want to do with the constitutional amendment,
the next presidential election and the general election and
whether the present Assembly really represents the people or
not," he said.

Yusuf Muhammad, the chairman of the National Awakening Party
(PKB) faction at the Assembly, concurred, saying that the
referendum was needed to force the Assembly and political parties
to change their political paradigm in the reform era.

"The national referendum is urgently needed as the Assembly
has defended its full authority in amending the Constitution
while its factions or political parties cannot put aside their
political interests in conducting the amendment. The Assembly
should be more open to better ideas or input from NGOs to foster
democracy," he said.

Ali Masjkur Musa, the secretary of the Assembly's ad hoc
subcommittee, said the referendum should be the last alternative
if the Assembly declined to cooperate with the NGOs in setting up
an independent commission to amend the Constitution
comprehensively.

"Before organizing a national referendum, the Assembly should
take the initiative to set up an independent commission
comprising Assembly members, experts, religious figures and NGOs.
The Assembly would delegate its authority to the commission to
conduct the amendment and approve the amended Constitution," he
said.

Binny Buchori, the coordinator of the International NGO Forum
on Indonesian Development (Infid), appreciated the proposed
referendum but said it should not overburden the people.

"Such a referendum is very urgent before the MPR could take
the reform movement in the wrong direction," she said.

She said NGOs had their own draft amendment of the
Constitution and they would explain it to the public so that they
were aware of the alternatives to how the Constitution could be
amended.

Mochtar Pabottingi, a political expert from the National
Institute of Sciences, supported the idea of a referendum, but
said that it should be the last resort if the Assembly had no
other alternative to amend the Constitution.

He said that before making a decision on the proposed
referendum, which would be very costly, political parties should
meet to follow up on the President's proposal.

"It's impossible now for the nation to hold the referendum
because of the prolonged economic crisis. The referendum would
certainly put a strain on the people if it was held now," he
said.

Sri Sumantri, a professor of constitutional law at Padjadjaran
University in Bandung, West Java, called on the Assembly to take
note of the matter of a referendum in the Constitution so as to
provide a legal base for a decision-making process.

"The proposed referendum is needed to conduct a comprehensive
amendment or to make a new Constitution so that the Assembly will
not waste its time and energy on the amendment agenda, which will
never be completed," he said.

Sri hailed the NGOs' proposal as feasible and plausible,
adding that a comprehensive amendment to the Constitution could
be made only if it was conducted by a commission comprising
independent experts, religious figures and professionals who have
no short-term political interests. (rms)