TNI/Police faction awaits directive on amendment
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police faction in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is waiting for directions from TNI Headquarters before deciding its stance on the proposed second round of presidential elections and the composition of the Assembly, a report says.
Assembly deputy speaker from the military/police faction Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo confirmed it would first consult with TNI Headquarters before taking a stance.
"All positions and stances of the military/police faction will reflect the opinion of the TNI headquarters," Agus told reporters on Wednesday.
Agus was commenting on the fact that the military/police faction had not issued a political stance concerning the two articles to be debated in the upcoming Annual Session.
The article on presidential elections (Article 6A, Paragraph 4) revolves around the two options that may be taken if the presidential and vice presidential candidates do not collect more than half the votes in the first round of voting.
Most factions: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar, United Development Party (PPP), National Awakening Party (PKB), Reform, Regional Representatives (UD), Daulatul Ummah Party (PDU), Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), Indonesian Nationhood Unity (KKI) and the Interest Groups faction prefer a second vote.
The military/police faction is still undecided while the Crescent Star Party (PBB) abstained, pending the decision of the party's leadership meeting.
The 38-strong military/police faction was also undecided on the composition of the Assembly (Article 2, Paragraph 1).
The Interest Groups faction was the only faction that insisted on keeping its presence in the Assembly while most factions: PDI Perjuangan, Golkar, PPP, PKB, Reform, UD, PDU, PDKB, and KKI wanted the Interest Groups dismissed.
Agus, the former TNI chief of territorial affairs, emphasized that the amendment process must be aimed at developing an effective government under the unitary republic of Indonesia.
The military/police faction considered the two articles crucial, therefore the faction would seriously discuss the matter, he said.
Regarding the existence of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA), the military/police faction insisted that the council's existence be maintained.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, an inter-faction meeting held at the Santika Hotel in West Jakarta concluded that they would propose the abolishment of the DPA as one of the highest state institutions, but put it directly under the president.
"All factions agreed that the DPA should no longer have as much power," legislator Andi Mattalata of the MPR's ad hoc committee for the drafting of the fourth amendment to the 1945 Constitution said as quoted by Kompas.com.
Members of the advisory council will be proposed by the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).
The advisory council is required to answer all queries of the president and has the right to give suggestions.
Commenting on opinions that the existence of the military/police representatives will be accommodated in the Interest Groups faction, Agus said that the military/police must not be connected with the faction.