Speaker Wahono calls on lawmakers to introspect

Speaker Wahono calls on lawmakers to introspect

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives and the People's
Consultative Assembly celebrated their 50th anniversary
yesterday, with Speaker Wahono calling on the legislators to
introspect about their performance.

Wahono asked the lawmakers to ask themselves if they have
carried out their mandate as the people's representatives and as
part of a body established to launch democratization.

Wahono also reminded the legislators that the legislative body
was established during the transition between the Dutch colonial
administration and the fledgling, sovereign Republic of Indonesia
to prevent the formation of a repressive or fascist government.

The House and the Assembly have often been called "rubber
stamp" institutions because of their eagerness to support
government policies and their perceived inability to defend the
people's interests.

Under Indonesian law, a House member is automatically an
Assembly member. The House and Assembly have 500 members each,
consisting of representatives of the three political
organizations, the military and other groups.

Wahono recounted the history of the birth of the Central
National Committee, in 1945, which was "the embryo of the DPR
(the House)."

At that time, he said, "the state needed a body which, it was
hoped, would become a vehicle toward democracy, especially (given
that the country was) undergoing a transition, from a repressive
and fascist colonial administration to a sovereign state."

The Committee was founded by first Indonesian president
Sukarno on Aug. 29, or 12 days after Indonesia proclaimed its
independence.

Years later, during Indonesia's "parliamentary democracy"
period, Wahono recounted, the role of the House grew
significantly, to a point at which it could impeach cabinets or
the administration itself.

This position contradicted the 1945 Constitution, he said,
adding that chaos developed and eventually led to the suffering
of the people because the government was never given the
opportunity to carry out any development programs.

Guided democracy

Wahono also made mention of the period of "guided democracy"
in the 1950s, during which state institutions, including the
House, were unable to function.

"Deviations which occurred in the state structure under Guided
Democracy and the country's poor economic situation eventually
peaked in the communist coup of 1965," he said.

He was referring to the abortive coup attempt by the now-
outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.

Wahono said the anniversary of the House was a time for its
members to reflect and ask themselves how they have carried out
the tasks entrusted to them by the people.

"Has the MPR (the Assembly) acted as the holder of the
people's sovereignty...Can the DPR be called a vehicle with which
(the country) is implementing a democracy (based on the state
ideology) Pancasila?" he said.

Wahono discussed the performance of the House with regard to
its functions, including as a body in charge, together with the
government, of delivering the state budget, and as a controller
of the executive.

Regarding the state budget duty, the House has shown that it
has been indeed playing a greater role in the political process,
because of its "stronger position," Wahono said.

"This is proof of the people's sovereignty," Wahono said,
quoting a passage in the explanatory notes to the Constitution.

Later on in the day, members of the Armed Forces faction in
the House witnessed the transfer of their faction leadership from
Vice Admiral Abu Hartono to Maj. Gen. Suparman Achmad.

Abu Hartono has recently been appointed ambassador to the
Philippines.

Suparman used the occasion yesterday to announce a significant
change in the faction's tradition: The faction will not elect any
spokesmen and will trust any member to speak on its behalf.

"From now on, every member of the ABRI (Armed Forces) faction
will be able to speak about the duties in which he specializes,"
Suparman said.

The tradition of relying on spokesmen was "felt to be
ineffective", he said. Now, "every member should be able to
answer questions about his own field of specialization," he said.
(swe)