Regional representatives for MPR still undecided

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)