DPD close to get MPR post

JAKARTA. The Regional Representatives Council (DPD) has proposed candidates for the positions of People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker and four deputy speakers in an effort to reduce tensions between the two competing coalitions at the House of Representatives.

The House and the DPD, whose members represent the different regions in the country, are scheduled to meet on Monday to elect the speaker of the MPR, a bicameral assembly that comprises members from both the House and the DPD.

DPD chairman Irman Gusman said that the council, with its 132 members, would encourage Monday’s session to elect the MPR speakers via unanimous agreement.

“As the DPD is independent, we do not gravitate toward either of the two major powers in the House. We want the MPR leadership positions to represent everyone,” Irman said on Sunday.

Since July’s presidential election, the House has become polarized between the two coalitions that supported the two presidential tickets in the election.

Despite its presidential ticket, Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa, losing the election, the Red-and-White Coalition has become a solid force at the House, controversially passing the Regional Elections (Pilkada) Law that revokes the direct election of regional leaders.

It effectively trumped Jokowi’s coalition, which supported the maintenance of direct elections.

Along with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, which originally declared it would stand on its own, it has secured the House leadership, once again trumping Jokowi’s coalition and sealing a House bloc that may become a source of resistance for programs proposed by the president-elect’s administration.

For Monday’s session, Jokowi’s coalition, led by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), has decided to back the DPD’s proposal by supporting a DPD member to become the MPR speaker.

Along with the DPD member, the PDI-P has proposed that two of the deputy speakers should come from the Red-and-White Coalition, while the other two deputies would come from its own coalition parties.

Representing Jokowi’s coalition, Muhaimin Iskandar, chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), said on Sunday that his coalition’s proposal was meant to garner support from the DPD’s 132 members, adding that he hoped the council members would lobby parties from the Red-and-White Coalition to support the proposal.

“We agree to support the DPD’s wish to become the leader of the MPR. We hope that the Red-and-White Coalition can agree with our proposal,” Muhaimin said on Sunday following a meeting with fellow coalition members.

PDI-P deputy secretary-general Ahmad Basarah said the coalition’s endorsement of a DPD member to be MPR speaker was aimed at making the DPD the focal point in negotiations with the Red-and-White Coalition.

The DPD has nominated nine of its members for the MPR speakership. Based on political affiliations, the Red-and-White Coalition may be favorable toward DPD member AM Fatwa of Jakarta, who is also a National Mandate Party (PAN) politician, and DPD member Akhmad Muqowam of Central Java, a United Development Party (PPP) politician.

Four of the DPD’s candidates are affiliated with the Golkar Party, including Hana Hasanah of Gorontalo, who is also the wife of Golkar executive Fadel Muhammad.

Jokowi’s coalition is closely affiliated with John Pieris of Maluku, an Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) member, and Oesman Sapta of West Kalimantan, who endorsed Jokowi during July’s election.

The Democratic Party is linked to South Sumatra representative Asmawati, who is also the wife of Democratic Party executive Marzuki Alie.

The Red-and-White Coalition has also announced its nomination package, which consists of a Democratic Party member for MPR speaker, while its candidates for the four deputies come from Golkar, the PPP, PAN and the DPD.

Responding to the MPR deputy speaker offer from Jokowi’s coalition, Golkar politician Bambang Soesatyo said his party was not interested in securing a post as suggested by the PDI-P coalition’s nomination package.

“Our coalition will easily win Monday’s battle, just like last week,” he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

A political analyst with the Political Communications Institute, Heri Budianto, said even if the PDI-P coalition could garner the support of the 132 DPD members, it would not be enough to win if Monday’s session went ahead and voted on the candidates. (Haeril Halim)