Wanted: Partner for commission

Wanted: Partner for commission

I Wayan Juniarta, The Jakarta Post, Jimbaran, Bali

The National Awakening Party (PKB) is considering an alliance
with other political parties and non-governmental organizations
to establish an independent constitutional commission.

PKB Secretary General Muhaimin Iskandar said here on Friday
said that an alliance would have to be formed in case the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) refused to set up the
commission.

"We want to set up a truly independent commission, which will
act as a public opinion-building force. It will also act as a
pressure group on constitutional reform," he said on the
sidelines of the 3rd ASEF (Asia-Europe Foundation) Young
Parliamentarians meeting.

The ongoing Assembly session is scheduled to amend the 1945
Constitution.

Non-governmental organizations based in Jakarta have been
stepping up pressure for the establishment of an independent
constitutional commission, which is free from intervention by
politicians.

They are seeking a revision of the 1945 Constitution, which
they say is outdated and full of rulings subject to varying
interpretations -- something that had been manipulated by the New
Order government for 32 years.

Muhaimin was here to open the four-day meeting in his capacity
as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR). The
conference is being participated in by 48 people from 15
countries.

Muhaimin stressed that the constitutional commission was a
necessity at this time, when the relationship between the
country's political parties was heavily dominated by a conflict
of interests.

In such a politicized atmosphere, Muhaimin said, the
commission could play a vital role as a mediator between those
parties.

Muhaimin said the commission would represent public
participation in the amendment of the Constitution.

Assembly leaders have so far insisted that the amendment of
the Constitution is the Assembly's prerogative. The public may
contribute ideas but should not be involved in the drafting
process.

An alliance of non-governmental organizations called NGOs
Coalition for a New Constitution has maintained that politicians
should not be involved in the amendment otherwise it would
reflect their (politicians') vested interests.

"The envisaged commission is needed to give the common people
a chance to participate in the amendment process. We can learn
from the experiences of Thailand and other countries in reforming
their constitution," Muhaimin said.

Separately, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung rejected the idea of
forming an independent commission, asserting that the task
belonged to the MPR and the amendment was in process.

"I think we had better let the Assembly deliberate on this
amendment in the current Annual Session," he said.