Thumbs-up for the MPR

Thumbs-up for the MPR

The term of office of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
-- Indonesia's top lawmaking body -- for 1999 to 2004, led by
chairman Amien Rais, ended last Sept. 25. Amien, who failed to
advance to the Sept. 20 presidential runoff, said he would resume
his career as a professor at the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
University.

We should give a thumbs-up to the present MPR as it has made
history through its phenomenal decision to amend the 1945
Constitution.

The amended Constitution has allowed the Indonesian people to
elect their president themselves this year. We should also
praise President Megawati Soekarnoputri and the General Elections
Commission for this year's peaceful elections.

Amien has said amending the Constitution was a big leap
forward for Indonesian democracy. The amended Constitution has
given the people the power to control the government. The people
are allowed to channel their aspirations through political and
non-governmental organizations, associations and even peaceful
demonstrations.

The MPR, during its final plenary session recently, issued
five decrees, among them a code of ethics for its members. The
code, says MPR members must shun corrupt, collusive and
nepotistic practices.

The code of ethics, however, is insufficient to combat bad
practices if important state institutions do not set a good
example to the people. -- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta