Subagyo, Sjafrie become MPR members
JAKARTA (JP): House Speaker Harmoko swore in yesterday 38 new members of the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly (DPR/MPR), including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo and former Jakarta military chief Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, as part of the preparations for the special MPR session in November.
Antara quoted Harmoko as saying yesterday that all vacant legislative positions in the 1,000-seat MPR would be filled before the session commences Nov. 10.
The MPR will convene to prepare for the general election scheduled by the middle of next year. Legislators appointed in the poll will meet in December to elect a new president and vice president.
President B.J. Habibie, through Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid, will submit drafts of three political laws to the House soon after the legislature opens its sitting session next Monday. The draft laws are on general elections, political parties and the structure and function of the MPR, DPR and provincial legislative councils (DPRD).
New members
Of the new MPR members, 16 belong to the Regional Representatives faction and 21 to the Armed Forces faction.
In addition, I Made Gusti Ngurah Bagus replaced I Made Bandem in the MPR ad hoc working committee II in charge of MPR decrees. Ad hoc committee I oversaw establishment of Broad Guidelines of State Policies.
Also sworn in yesterday were Achmad Rustandi from the Indonesian Democratic Party, filling the seat left vacant by Hari Sabarno, a member of the Armed Forces faction promoted to MPR deputy chairman; H Ismunandar as member of the MPR working committee, replacing R. Sudaryanto who has been appointed a member of the Supreme Advisory Council; and Prof. Lilik Hendradjaja, replacing HZB Palaguna of the Regional Representatives faction.
Golkar faction's Philips Wona from remote Irian Jaya province, who failed to take his oath last July 24 due to transportation problems, joined yesterday's ceremony.
Lively debates are expected once the bills reach the House because the documents are said to introduce significant changes to the repressive political system put in place by former president Soeharto. Among changes sought are:
* Multiparties: The existing regulated three political organization system will be changed, and a genuine multiparty system expected to be introduced.
* Contesting and non-contesting political parties: Only parties with a certain amount of popular support will be allowed to contest the general elections. Others will remain free to operate as a party but not to have candidates in the poll.
* Financial accountability: Each party must submit regular reports audited by public accountants on its financial status, including sources of support. Reports will be submitted to the General Elections Commission. Audited reports must be submitted before and after elections.
* Representation: Armed Forces' representation, which was reduced to 75 from 100 in 1995, will be further reduced to 55. The DPR members will be 550 and MPR will be 700.
* ABRI/Civil servants: Armed Forces personnel and officers will not have the right to vote, be elected or join a political party. Civil servants will remain eligible to vote but will not be permitted to seek election or join a political party.
Also yesterday, Harmoko said the working committee of the MPR would decide whether former president Soeharto would be asked to present an account of his leadership during the MPR session.
"The agenda of the special MPR session will be discussed by the MPR working committee," he said. "Just wait for the results of the meeting of the MPR working committee... Both old and new members of the committee may have opinions or suggestions."
National Front, a group of retired generals and former officials critical of the government, recently demanded that Soeharto appear before the MPR session to account for his 32-year rule.
Soeharto resigned from the presidency last May 21. (swe)