Talks on regional representative faction delayed
JAKARTA (JP): The majority in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) defied persistent challenges from regional representatives on Saturday, saying that their demand for reinstatement as a separate faction would only materialize at its annual session, which is scheduled for October.
In response to the regional representatives' proposal to revive their faction, nine factions attending the plenary session expressed their support, but said the timing was inappropriate now that the Assembly was focusing on its Special Session to hear President Abdurrahman Wahid's accountability report.
"The reinstatement of the regional representative faction should be conducted at the next annual session to allow the Assembly to concentrate on the Special Session's single agenda," Rambe Kamarulzaman, the spokesman for the Golkar Party faction, said.
The Golkar faction has enjoyed support from 63 regional representatives following the regional representative faction's dissolution in 1999.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which incorporates 33 regional representatives, said they appreciated the regional representatives' proposal but suggested it be discussed "at an appropriate opportunity sometime in the future".
Jacob Tobing, a member of the PDI Perjuangan faction, questioned the decision because it was still uncertain whether the annual session would be held this year or not.
"It would be better to formalize the regional representative faction's revival in next year's annual session and not this year because it is has yet to be determined whether the MPR will hold its annual session this year or not," he said.
MPR Speaker Amien Rais, who presided over the plenary session, asserted that the proposed reinstatement of the regional representative faction would be conducted at the MPR annual session.
"The annual session will be held this November or October because the MPR has not decided to postpone it this year," he said.
A number of regional representatives stood up and interrupted the plenary session when their proposal to re-establish their faction was sidelined from the agenda of the meeting.
Legislator A. Kahang of West Kalimantan called on the Assembly secretary to read the regional representatives' proposal that was lodged in early June.
He warned the Assembly against infringing on Assembly Decree No. 2/2000, and instructed the Assembly's Working Committee to make preparations for the regional representative faction until December 2000 and the Assembly to formalize it in its next plenary session.
He also questioned why the political parties and interest group representatives were allowed to have their own factions at the Assembly.
Much. Ali, representing East Java, questioned the political parties' commitment to the Constitution which guarantees the presence of the regional representative faction in the highest state institution.
"Consequently, all decisions the Assembly has made following the regional representative faction's dissolution in 1999 are invalid because of the faction's absence," he said.
The Constitution says that the Assembly comprises House of Representatives legislators, interest groups and regional representatives.
Oesman Sapta, the chairman of the forum of the regional representative faction (FUD), claimed the Assembly, especially political parties, had posed as reformists following their rejection to the forum's demand.
"Political parties should not worry about regional representatives disturbing the Special Session if the proposal is accommodated. Regional representatives have no political interests in the mounting conflict between the President and the House. Our main concern is the absence of the political elite's serious attention to numerous problems in the regions," he said.
He said he believed that serious problems facing regions in the country could be solved peacefully with the presence of a separate regional representative faction in the highest law- making body. (rms)