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)