Team to amend Constitution facing contentious factions

Team to amend Constitution facing contentious factions

JAKARTA (JP): The issue of nonelected seats for the
military/police at the People's Consultative Assembly and direct
presidential elections quickly became contentious issues as an ad
hoc committee began proceedings on Constitutional amendment on
Monday.

Representatives of the Indonesian Military(TNI)/Police faction
in the Assembly's ad hoc committee got little support when they
proposed that the Assembly, the highest institution in the
country, be comprised of elected legislators and regional
representatives along with allocated seats for the
Military/Police.

Only one of the other nine factions represented in the
Assembly, the small Unity and Nationality Faction (FKKI),
expressed support for the proposal.

The other eight factions said the Assembly should only
comprise elected legislators from the House of Representatives
and Regional Representatives.

"We agreed not to join practical politics in the House but we
urge that we be given the opportunity to be involved in the
Assembly," TNI's faction spokesman Vice Marshall Hendy Tjaswadi
said.

Hendy contended that as an important component of the nation
with the same rights and obligations, the Military/Police should
be involved in deciding strategic problems in the Assembly.

He argued that such an allotment was necessary because the
Military/Police are not represented by political parties.

"The number of seats depends on the Assembly," he said.

The 700 seat Assembly comprises 135 regional representatives
elected by local councils, 65 representatives from professional
organizations and other nongovernment organizations appointed by
the President and the 500 members of the House.

The House itself comprises 462 legislators elected through the
general election and another 38 that are uncontested and
allocated to the Military/Police faction.

The Military/Police have traditionally been allocated seats
since they do not vote in the general election.

There is already a general consensus that the Military/Police
faction would no longer be allocated seats in the House.

Despite their arguments, Hendy said on Monday that the
Military/Police faction would accept any final decision made by
the Assembly in August on the allocation of seats.

FKKI's spokesman Antonius Rahail, defending its decision to
support the allocation of seats for the Military/Police, said it
was unfair to completely exclude them.

"They are also Indonesian citizens. They should also have
representatives in the Assembly," Antonius said.

FKKI consists of minor parties such as the Unity and Justice
Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the United
Party.

Another contentious issue concerns Article 3 concerning the
Assembly's authority to appoint the president.

The Golkar Party, the National Awakening Party, the United
Development Party (PPP), the Reform Faction and four other
factions on Monday proposed that the Assembly's power be limited
to inaugurating the president and vice president.

In essence this means an amendment for direct election of the
president and vice president.

However, the 1999 general election's highest vote getters, the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
supported by the Sociatal Group Representatives rejected any
amendment to Article 3.

"People are not ready for direct presidential election. We
have to prepare the system first," Valina Subekti of Societal
Group Representatives, said.

Valina said the direct presidential election, if it was
applied arbitrarily, would result in a leader who's only
credential was popularity without quality.

"Maybe in 2009 people will be ready for direct presidential
elections," she said.

PDI Perjuangan and Societal Group Representatives make up
nearly a third of the Assembly. (jun)