Tenure has no limit: House
<p>Tenure has no limit: House</p><p>Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta</p><p> Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and politicians
rejected the idea of limiting the tenure of the legislators,
saying it was against democracy.</p><p>They said the terms in office of legislators depended solely
on the acceptance of their constituents who elected their
representatives every five years.</p><p>"The restriction violates democracy. Moreover, people are now
given a chance of directly electing their preferred
representatives," legislator Ali Masykur Musa of the National
Awakening Party (PKB) told The Jakarta Post on Friday.</p><p>Alvin Lie of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said the
limitation idea required "thorough deliberation" before coming
into effect.</p><p>The two were commenting on the Constitutional Commission's
proposal to limit the tenure of legislative council members to
two five-year terms, parallel to the amended Constitution that
allows the president and vice president to take office for a
maximum two five-year terms.</p><p>Many incumbent legislators have been in the job for more than
two five-year terms -- some even for two decades. The House has
come under persistent criticism for its poor performance in
legislation duties.</p><p>Commission deputy head Albert Hasibuan said the limitation was
aimed at creating a balance of power between the executive and
legislative bodies as well as curbing corruption.</p><p>It's proposal will come into law if it is approved by the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) when it reconvenes in May.
All House legislators are MPR members.</p><p>Meanwhile, Bomer Pasaribu of the Golkar Party said the
limitation would not automatically reduce corruption in the
country.</p><p>He said corruption could be eradicated through the improvement
of law enforcement and judicial reform.</p><p>"I am afraid that the proposal will pervert the constitutional
amendment. The limitation may also provoke legislators to try to
'collect' more money in their second term in office," he said.</p><p>MPR legislator Baharuddin Aritonang had said earlier the
existing assembly would be unlikely to support the proposal.</p><p>He said the commission could only hope for approval from the
new legislators who are elected in the April 5 polls.</p><p>The commission was set up by the MPR to harmonize amendments
it made to the 1945 Constitution.</p>
rejected the idea of limiting the tenure of the legislators,
saying it was against democracy.</p><p>They said the terms in office of legislators depended solely
on the acceptance of their constituents who elected their
representatives every five years.</p><p>"The restriction violates democracy. Moreover, people are now
given a chance of directly electing their preferred
representatives," legislator Ali Masykur Musa of the National
Awakening Party (PKB) told The Jakarta Post on Friday.</p><p>Alvin Lie of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said the
limitation idea required "thorough deliberation" before coming
into effect.</p><p>The two were commenting on the Constitutional Commission's
proposal to limit the tenure of legislative council members to
two five-year terms, parallel to the amended Constitution that
allows the president and vice president to take office for a
maximum two five-year terms.</p><p>Many incumbent legislators have been in the job for more than
two five-year terms -- some even for two decades. The House has
come under persistent criticism for its poor performance in
legislation duties.</p><p>Commission deputy head Albert Hasibuan said the limitation was
aimed at creating a balance of power between the executive and
legislative bodies as well as curbing corruption.</p><p>It's proposal will come into law if it is approved by the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) when it reconvenes in May.
All House legislators are MPR members.</p><p>Meanwhile, Bomer Pasaribu of the Golkar Party said the
limitation would not automatically reduce corruption in the
country.</p><p>He said corruption could be eradicated through the improvement
of law enforcement and judicial reform.</p><p>"I am afraid that the proposal will pervert the constitutional
amendment. The limitation may also provoke legislators to try to
'collect' more money in their second term in office," he said.</p><p>MPR legislator Baharuddin Aritonang had said earlier the
existing assembly would be unlikely to support the proposal.</p><p>He said the commission could only hope for approval from the
new legislators who are elected in the April 5 polls.</p><p>The commission was set up by the MPR to harmonize amendments
it made to the 1945 Constitution.</p>