Jakarta – The Bill on Nuclear Power was finally agreed by the House of Representatives (DPR) for ratification as Laws, although it was coloured by interruptions of its members who questioned the quorum which was not reached, while outside the conference room a demonstration was going on which rejected the Nuclear Power Bill.

Nevertheless, the final opinion of the fractions on the Nuclear Power Bill in the Plenary Session of the DPR RI which took place on Wednesday (26/2) in Jakarta still mentioned various conditions considered important that the implementation of the Bill will be for the greatest interest and welfare of the people.

The final opinion of the F-PP which was read by Mohammad Buang for instance, asked the government to stop for the time being all activities in whatever form related with the plan to build a nuclear electric power plant (PLTN) at Semenanjung Muria, Central Java.

The F-PP was concerned that if the government continued said activities while the message of the Bill was not yet met, the expenditures could become wasted. Because it could happen that in the future the parties related in building the PLTN which were mentioned in the Bill like the Supervising Body, The Board to Consider Nuclear Power, and the DPR RI finally did not approve the building of the PLTN. "Only for the site study and the feasibility study, the government already spent Rp 22 billion," the F-PP disclosed.

The State Minister of Research and Technology BJ Habibie who in the Plenary Session represented the Government, repeatedly clarified that the PLTN formed the last alternative. "Please note all of you including the present mass media, the PLTN is the last alternative. Exactly for the interest of the people the government feels the necessity of the Laws before the existence of the PLTN. This is all to make the building of the PLTN complicated, that if it will be built it is not done haphazardly," he clarified.

Debate of the quorum

Eventhough at the presentation list at the entrance were the signatures of 317 members, when the plenary session took place, the room ws desolate. A major part of the chairs, either for the F-PP, the F-KP, the F-PDI or the F-ABRI were empty. Only the place reserved for the reporters and non government organizations (LSM) was crowded.

This was later charged by Dra Laksmiari Priyonggo from the F-PDI, when the Chairman of the Plenary Session Sutedjo from the F-ABRI wanted to drop the hammer to aprove the ratification of the Nuclear Power Bill as Laws.

"Mr Chairman, look at this conference room. Do we have the heart to ask the signature of the People's Consultative Council's (MPR's) Mandate Holder to ratify the Nuclear Power Bill, while in fact the present members of the House do not meet the quorum? I have counted, the total is not more than 75 members, which means only 15 percent," said Laksmiri.

Sutedjo answered that although only a little were present, his side based on the number of signatures at the presentation list. It was according to him in accordance with article 152 of the DPR Regulations which read that a resolution could be taken in a meeting in which the presentation list was signed by more than half of the members of the meeting and all fractions were represented.

"But there are here so many televisions. It can show that the presentees actually do not meet the quorum. Where is our responsibility?" asked Laksmiari.

The debate was then interrupted by another F-PDI member Markus Wauran, so that the meeting finally continued. The hammer was dropped after all present members together shouted, "Agreeeee."

Laksmiari who then left the room was chased by the mass media. According to her the signatures were not legal because they were actually from the former agenda, namely the Plenary Session on the Bill on Narcotics.

A House member questioned by reporters justified that the signatures were valid for one day at the same conference room. The Presentation list indeed mentioned for two agendas, namely the Plenary Sesion on the Bill on Narcotics (until 10,00 West Indonesia Time) and the Bill on Nuclear Power (10.15-14.00 West Indonesia Time).

Habibie himself when asked about the quorum after the meeting stated, "I am no House member. So I have to obey to the DPR resolutions. DPR has its own regulations, doesn't it."

Entering of LSM

While the F-PP in its final view also suggested to let leaders of socio political and LSM organizations participate in the Board to Consider Nuclear Power in order that the board should really have integrity.

The F-PP added that for determining the place for storing radio active waste with a high activity, the approval had to be obtained from the DPR RI.

While the F-PDI reminded that the business lobbying force would not conquer the will of the people in relation with the erection of a PLTN. "We must note this together, considering the strong business lobbying which during this process of decision making was performed, said Soedaryanto.

The PDI also appealed that if nuclear power was utilized in a commercial way by private enterprises that it would not burden the people as consumers. Based on experiences the rendering of production branches concerning the lives of the masses to private enterprises have the risk of the formation of monopolies which are much harming the people," he stated.

The F-ABRI stated the need for decommissioning in the enterprising chapter, because decommissioning formed an important stage concerning safety, security, peace and health of the wworkers and the society and protection of the living environments.

Particularly for the developing, operating and decommissioning of commercial nuclear reactors, the F-ABRI proposed that the government would discuss it first with the DPR before taking a decision of the site to be choosen.

While the F-KP has the opinion that the Nuclear Power Bill was more an effort to absorb the aspirations of the society and give a chance to develop the state's decision making. This was evident in the article which mentioned that the development and operation of a big scale nuclear reactor like PLTN had to be consultred with the DPR.

Last alternative

At the press meeting, Habibie again clarified that the PLTN was the last alternative. "Until this moment we have not yet decided whether we want to build a PLTN or not. Therefore I pray that we don't have to build a PLTN," he said.

Because as the last alternative, the PLTN was also not immediately consulted to the House. "Many other work have still to be finished before that, namely to prepare the marks which are much lacking in the former laws," he clarified.

There are according to him many other alternatives which can be studied like geothermal energy, water and natural gas. "With the Sumatra-Java interconnection, much hydro energy from Sumatra can be utilized," he added.

Habibie also stressed that the approval of the Nuclear Power Bill to be ratified as Laws did not mean to become a policy to build the PLTN. "Not at all, it would even complicate the building of a PLTN," he clarified.

He said that all marks prepared by the government and the DPR were more aimed that if the PLTN would be built, its operation was fully for the interest, safety and welfare of the people.

Commenting on the demonstration of which the sounds were very audible at the meeting with the press place, Habibie stated, "That is a sign that development dynamics develop towards a Pancasila democracy," (*)