Leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) met Monday to discuss the formation of a commission to study Constitutional amendments.
DPD secretary Ichsan Loulembah said the debate on the commission marked the first meeting held to prepare for the fifth Constitutional amendments.
Some legislators, he added, had opposed the planned Constitutional amendments during the joint session, which was presided over by MPR Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid.
Ichsan said representatives at the meeting discussed a proposal for the establishment of the commission, which, unlike past commissions, would be restricted to studying which articles of the Constitution would be amended.
The MPR dissolved the Constitutional Commission in April 2004. The former commission recommended the fifth Constitutional amendments be made before the MPR general session in 2009.
The commission found the amended Constitution had resulted in issues such as a power imbalance between the DPD and the House of Representatives, overlapping jurisdictions of the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court and Judicial Commission and improper adoption of parliamentary system practices in the country's presidential system.
A motion for a Constitutional amendment requires support from at least one-third of the MPR members, who currently comprise 550 House legislators and 128 DPD members. In the 2009 legislative elections, 560 House and 132 DPD members will be chosen.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has discussed the plan to amend the Constitution with the leaders of the MPR and DPD. They have agreed the Constitutional amendments should top the post-election agenda next year, although the powerful House may try to obstruct the plan.
Ichsan said the next amendments were expected to result in a "modern and democratic" Constitution.
"That means the Constitution will last a long time and will not be easily changed, while at the same time is always up to date and able to advance public aspirations," he said.
The commission to study the amendments will be made up of MPR and DPD members and representatives from the House and the Constitutional Court. Experts and MPR legislators involved in previous amendments and the former Constitutional Commission will be involved in the new commission.
The Constitution was amended four times between 1998 and 2002 as part of the political reforms. Landmark amendments include the limitation of the presidential tenure to two five-year terms, termination of the Military's political function, separation of the police from the Military, election of DPD members and the introduction of a direct presidential election.
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