TNI/Police faction awaits directive on amendment

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.