Short-lived DPR says goodbye at deserted lunch
JAKARTA (JP): The customary farewell hosted by President B.J. Habibie for outgoing legislators this year turned out to be a somewhat cheerless half-empty affair.
Only about half of the 500-member House of Representatives (DPR) attended the luncheon in the State Palace grounds.
A special marquee had been set up for the event. Little did Palace officials know that it would only be half full.
As many tables remained empty, in an unusual move, Palace officials warmly welcomed journalists to occupy the seats and enjoy the lunch.
The tardy arrival of several legislators delayed Habibie from delivering his speech by about 30 minutes.
"Let me convey my apologies to all members of the House for my shortcomings or mistakes," said the President to his invited guests, most of whom seemed more interested in the lunch than his words.
Even House Speaker Harmoko, as he recounted the House's long road to reform, strayed away from politics, closing his address with quips about the importance of lunch.
Friday's menu included Padang and Javanese cuisine and ice cream.
No reference was made in the formal proceedings of the mounting death toll resulting from mass protests over House approval of the controversial state security bill.
After the lunch, Habibie shook hands with his guests.
Several legislators were heard whispering in jest to each other: "Is a handshake alone enough to say goodbye?"
The President had originally planned to award the outgoing legislators several million rupiah each as an expression of gratitude for their service. However a public uproar forced the government to shelve the proposal.
Appeal
The House quaintly ended its two-year term earlier on Friday with an appeal to new legislators to put public interests above all else, and maintain a critical stance during formulation of the nation's laws.
In his address to the House's last plenary session, speaker Harmoko said the government had to have the courage to make substantial changes to government-sponsored bills in order to avoid conflict and tension stemming from public discontent.
"The House's phenomenal stance to adopt such strict principles was visible in the deliberation of various bills we completed recently," Harmoko claimed.
Harmoko proudly said that during its short term, the House passed 69 bills. Most were sponsored by the government.
The bills included one on human rights, the telecommunications bill, the forestry bill, the press bill and the bill on Aceh's special autonomy status.
One bill which Harmoko lamented could not be passed in time was the oil and gas bill.
He noted that the House had completed nearly 90 percent of the bill's substance. "It's a shame now that all that deliberation will probably go to waste"
Overall he expressed satisfaction at the proceedings of the House.
"Although not optimal, the way the House has worked is worth appreciating. Amid the dynamic reform drive which began rolling in May last year, the House has produced a number of laws which are in line with people's aspirations," Harmoko said.
Harmoko, also speaker at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), recollected the MPR November Special Session which confirmed the mandate given to B.J. Habibie to preside over the country following Soeharto's resignation six months earlier.
He failed to mention that the same MPR had unanimously reappointed Soeharto as president for a sixth term.
At the Special Session, the MPR endorsed two key decrees which were expected to justify legal measures against former president Soeharto over his alleged corruption and power abuses during his 32 years in office. Investigations into the now ailing former ruler currently hang in the balance.
Harmoko was one of the prominent political leaders who helped ouster his former patron Soeharto. He served under the former strongman as minister of information from 1983 to 1997. (amd/prb)