Regional representatives for MPR still undecided

JAKARTA (JP): With just two weeks remaining, provincial legislatures across the country have yet to submit the names of their representatives in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Director General of Regional Autonomy and Public Administration Ryaas Rasyid told reporters on Tuesday he was looking forward to hearing the selection results from the provincial legislatures.

"We have been waiting for the results, but no names have been reported to the Ministry of Home Affairs," Ryaas said on the sidelines of the House of Representatives plenary session to hear President B.J. Habibie's explanation on the East Timor crisis.

Without elaboration, he said he heard some 20 provinces had completed their selection.

"We expect to receive all the names and report them to the President five or six days before MPR members are to be sworn in on Oct. 1," he said as quoted by Antara.

The induction ceremony will mark the beginning of the first phase of MPR General Session, in which the legislators are to deliberate the Assembly's internal rules, state policy guidelines, agenda of the session and elect an MPR speaker.

The MPR will convene again in November to elect a president and vice president.

According to a 1999 law, each of the country's 27 provinces has five representatives in the 700-member MPR. Unlike the old practice, regional representatives are elected by the provincial legislatures.

The MPR consists of 500 House legislators, including 38 Indonesian Military/National Police who do not vote, 135 appointed regional representatives and 65 appointed representatives of various interest groups.

Selection of regional representatives is conducted in a plenary session attended by at least two thirds of the provincial legislators.

Ryaas, also a public administration expert, said the induction ceremony of MPR members would go ahead as planned even though some provincial legislatures might fail to complete the selection before Oct. 1.

"The General Session cannot be sacrificed for the sake of some regional representatives," he said.

"If more than a half of the provinces finish their jobs in the time, the ceremony will take place on Oct. 1. The rest of the regional representatives will be sworn in later."

The General Elections Commission finished on Monday the selection of 65 representatives of interest groups.

In a related development, the newly appointed West Java provincial legislative council picked up ten of 120 figures proposed to be candidates of the province for the MPR.

The ten included Ginandjar Kartasasmita, the coordinating minister for economy, finance and industry and Solichin GP.

Members of the legislative council will vote for five from the ten candidates to represent the province in the MPR's 135-member Regional Representative faction.

The plenary session presided by Suyaman was marked with a demonstration supporting Ginandjar's nomination. (43/rms/amd)