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Dems relish chance to rule House roost
JP/IrmaWith the combined support of its coalition partners, the Democratic Party will play a key role as the ruling party, as it seeks to create an effective government over the next five years, says a party member
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JP/Irma
With the combined support of its coalition partners, the Democratic Party will play a key role as the ruling party, as it seeks to create an effective government over the next five years, says a party member.
With 148 seats at the 560-seat House of Representatives, and another 169 from its four coalition partners, the Democratic Party looks set to give its chief patron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a blank check for government policy support, senior member Ruhut Sitompul said Wednesday.
He added the party expected the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), with a combined 200 seats, to join the coalition rather than take an opposition stance.
“The new House will be different from the old one, which was opposed to Yudhoyono’s policies, regardless of whether they were good,” he said.
“In the next government, the legislative and executive branches are expected to work in harmony for an effective government.
“You don’t have to be in the opposition to be critical, and the House will be critical as long as it’s for the good of the people and the nation,” he added.
The Democratic Party coalition to date includes the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP), and controls a combined 56 percent of total House seats.
Neither Golkar nor the PDI-P have announced yet what side of the fence they stand on, although they did sign an agreement between them to form a coalition, prior to the July 8 presidential election.
Should these two parties join the Democratic Party’s coalition, that ensuing single majority would ensure the government an unhindered field to do whatever it wants.
Democratic Party deputy chairman Achmad Mubarok said the party planned to use its coalition weight to support its people-based programs.
“The Democratic Party and its partners will be objectively critical of the government, including in the support for the war on corruption,” he said.
PKS deputy secretary-general Zulkieflimansyah said that for the sake of democracy, it would be better for the Democratic Party to not extend the olive branch to Golkar and the PDI-P.
“However, we must admit that it is the Indonesian way to embrace everyone, and that is what Yudhoyono wants to show in his recent approaches toward Golkar and the PDI-P,” he said.
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political expert Siti Zuhro warned that an overly powerful coalition at the House could allow the government to get out of hand.
“However, the public hopes that the House will renew its integrity and do its constitutional job for the sake of the nation and the people,” she said. (hdt)
