Source APC Newsgroup: act.indonesia
Source APC Newsgroup: act.indonesia
Written by: tapol@gn.apc.org
Date: 09 Nov 1998 05:22:36
Subject: Details of Indonesia special assembly meeting
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
Subject: Details of Indonesia special assembly meetingFrom Joyo:
Sunday November 8, 2:49 am Eastern Time
Details of Indonesia special assembly meeting
JAKARTA, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Indonesia's highest legislative body, the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), will hold a special session on November 10-13 to
decide Indonesia's election timetable and ratify new, more democratic
political laws.The 1,000-member assembly comprises Indonesia's 500 members of parliament (MP)
and 500 appointed military and civilian officials. Around half of the
appointees were picked during the rule of former President Suharto, while the
rest were replaced by new appointees since President B.J. Habibie took power
in May.Parliament is made up of 425 elected members and 75 members directly appointed
by the military.The MPR has the power to issue decrees which supersede any law passed by
parliament. The MPR usually meets every five years to choose Indonesia's
president and vice president, but this time it will be debating 12 draft laws
on political reform.The most important draft decree to be discussed involves the rescheduling of
parliamentary elections to next year from 2002. Habibie has promised elections
next year to make parliament more representative, followed by another MPR
session in December 1999 to choose a new president.The other key decree under discussion would limit the maximum amount of time a
president and vice president could serve to two five-year terms. Suharto was
elected for a seventh term in March before resigning in May amid a deepening
economic crisis, mass protests against his rule and an explosion of rioting.Other decrees to be discussed include:
-- The annulment of a 1998 decree giving extraordinary powers to the
president. The annulment has won the support of all factions in the MPR, who
say the president does not need such powers.-- Granting greater autonomy to Indonesia's regions.
-- Granting authorities the responsibility of promoting and upholding human
rights.-- A draft decree on ``politics in democratic economy,'' which seeks to
promote small and medium-sized enterprises and narrow disparities in society.
The draft decree bans monopolies and regulates foreign loans.-- A clean government decree designed to tackle corruption. It proposes all
government officials disclose their wealth and have it audited.-- A draft decree on assembly meeting rules, which would change the rules
governing the assembly and stipulate that the assembly's working committee
operate throughout its five-year tenure, rather than for just three months
currently.-- Development reform guidelines, stipulating the issues the government should
focus on up until the next MPR session in December 1999.-- Lifting of the 1983 decree on referendums, which would allow changes to be
made to Indonesia's 1945 constitution.-- The annulment of a 1978 decree on promoting the state ideology of national
unity, Pancasila. Critics have said current programmes for promoting Pancasila
need to be improved.The assembly is dominated by the ruling Golkar party, which has 585 seats and
served as Suharto's political tool during his reign.The other two political parties which have official recognition are the
Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP), with 136 seats in the
assembly, and Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), with 17 seats.The PDI faction represented in the MPR is the official branch, rather than the
breakaway faction headed by opposition figurehead Megawati Sukarnoputri which
does not have official recognition. Opposition leaders like Megawati and Amien
Rais do not hold seats in the MPR.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and AcehJoin us to celebrate TAPOL's 25th anniversary on
20 October 1998. Contact us for ticket details.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Index E-mail Author Previous message Next message