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Political parties want to control President through People's Consultative Assembly
The idea of strengthening the People's Consultative Assembly would include giving the legislative body the authority to issue regeling (decrees). The Assembly would have the power to issue legal orders that take precedence over the law but are still subservient to the Constitution.
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The iconic building in the People's Consultative Assembly in Senayan, Jakarta. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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s the latest term of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) comes to an end, its members are mulling over another constitutional amendment, although they are still undecided on the aspects of the Constitution that need to be changed.
While almost all factions have voiced support for a "limited amendment” of the Constitution, which would focus only on reinstating the long-defunct policy framework for long-term development plans (GBHN), the discussion has expanded into the possibility of strengthening the authority of the Assembly itself.
A deputy chairman of the Assembly's assessment body, Hendrawan Supratikno, said the ongoing discussion was in line with the recommendations the Assembly made in the 2009 to 2014 period, which included the need to rearrange several aspects of the constitutional system.
“There are three issues that we have been progressively discussing and working on: publicity of the four pillars [of the Assembly], reformulation of the GBHN model and restructuring of the MPR's authority," Hendrawan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
The Assembly's recommendations cover at least 15 topics, including the desire to make the Assembly the highest lawmaking body in the country. However, Hendrawan and his team have simplified them into five main issues.
“We want it to be more concise so there is room for further studies in the next term [of the Assembly],” he said.
Although all factions have essentially agreed to strengthen the Assembly, Hendrawan said they would discuss the issue again during the Assembly's upcoming plenary meeting. Later, there is to be a meeting between the Assembly's speaker, deputies, party factions and members of the Regional Representatives Council on Sept. 9.
