Tenure has no limit: House

Tenure has no limit: House

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and politicians
rejected the idea of limiting the tenure of the legislators,
saying it was against democracy.

They said the terms in office of legislators depended solely
on the acceptance of their constituents who elected their
representatives every five years.

"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.

Alvin Lie of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said the
limitation idea required "thorough deliberation" before coming
into effect.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Meanwhile, Bomer Pasaribu of the Golkar Party said the
limitation would not automatically reduce corruption in the
country.

He said corruption could be eradicated through the improvement
of law enforcement and judicial reform.

"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.

MPR legislator Baharuddin Aritonang had said earlier the
existing assembly would be unlikely to support the proposal.

He said the commission could only hope for approval from the
new legislators who are elected in the April 5 polls.

The commission was set up by the MPR to harmonize amendments
it made to the 1945 Constitution.