Talks on regional representative faction delayed
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)