Regional reps in MPR set up their own forum
Regional reps in MPR set up their own forum
JAKARTA (JP): Regional representatives at the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) set up on Saturday a forum which they
hope will enhance unity among them while they carry out their
future tasks.
The establishment of the forum followed a two-day meeting in
which all participants demanded that an independent faction be
established so that they could channel the aspirations of people
in their respective provinces.
Yusuf Kalla, elected to chair the forum, said the forum would
help the 130 regional representatives coordinate and exchange
information and ideas.
He added that the proposal would be taken to the annual MPR
session scheduled for August next year, when the Assembly
completes its work on proposed amendments to the 1945
Constitution.
Yusuf, representing South Sulawesi, said the presence of a
regional representative faction at the Assembly was urgent in the
face of full implementation of the regional autonomy program in
provinces and regencies.
It was decided at the recent MPR General Session that
individual regional representatives would be integrated into the
respective political parties that nominated them in the elections
at provincial legislatures. The Assembly instead introduced an
interest group faction, a decision viewed by many as being in
violation of the Constitution.
More than half of the regional representatives are Golkar
Party members. They include MPR Deputy Speaker Ginandjar
Kartasasmita, who represents West Java, A.A. Baramuli
representing South Sulawesi, Abdul Gafur representing Aceh and
Marzuki Darusman representing Irian Jaya.
The meeting followed the Assembly's General Session, which saw
the highest lawmaking body vote against accepting former
president B.J. Habibie's accountability speech and elect
Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri as president and
vice president respectively.
Saturday's meeting also recommended that regional
representatives in the future be elected directly by the people.
(rms)