Stay-away legislators may be named and shamed

Kurniawan Hari Jakarta

A senior leader of the House of Representatives (DPR) has urged House members to improve their attendance record before the current sitting ends in September or else face moral punishment from the people.

"All House members are morally accountable for the performance of their official duties," House deputy speaker Tosari Widjaja said before attending a consultative meeting with leaders of the nine House factions here on Friday.

Tosari also called on the political parties to discipline their legislators in the House.

The meeting was supposed to be attended by the leaders of the nine factions, but in the end only faction members turned up.

The attendance of legislators has worsened in recent days. On Thursday, poor attendance was blamed for the failure of the House steering committee to reach a quorum.

It was the 16th meeting the House has had to delay due to poor attendance. Up for discussion were more than 40 bills that need to be finished within the next three months.

Separately, House Speaker and Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung summoned a number of Golkar chairmen of House committees charged with the deliberation of various bills.

The legislators were Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa (the revision of local government law amendment bill), Akil Mochtar (the truth and reconciliation commission bill), Ferry Mursyidan Baldan (the ministerial offices bill), and Yahya Zaini (the presidential advisory council bill).

Golkar faction chairman M. Hatta also attended the meeting.

Agun Gunandjar said that Golkar legislators were concerned about poor attendance in the House, and vowed that they would do their utmost to improve the House's performance, particularly as regards its legislation record.

"We have to improve the House's performance as it will affect the image of the House, which, coincidentally, is headed by Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung," he said.

Akil Mochtar added that legislators had to focus on performing their official duties, including framing the budget together with the government, overseeing the administration of government, and deliberating draft legislation.

In addition, Tosari, of the United Development Party (PPP), promised that House leaders would publish the attendance records of legislators in an attempt to encourage the leaders of the nine factions to uphold discipline among their members.

Tosari added that he would seek support from the other factions for the publication of attendance records.