Jakarta – The pro-government minority in the House of Representatives has lowered its demand for some control over the legislature as the rift continues.

President Joko Widodo's Awesome Indonesia Coalition (KIH) continued to demand for the legislature to repeat the appointment process for chairs of all oversight commissions at the House. But this time the House minority leader, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said it only wants 40 percent.

PDI-P deputy secretary general Achmad Basarah said the party originally wanted all 11 House commissions and four special committees to be ruled according to the number of seats each party won.

"But we must be realistic. We are not demanding for [control over the commissions] to be distributed based on seats, but based on size of coalitions," he said.

The KIH has a minority 246 of the 560 seats in the House. Joko's five-party KIH has refused to recognize the legitimate House leadership, with all key posts held by legislators from opposition Red-White Coalition (KMP).

The KIH has instead named its own shadow speaker and deputy speakers as well as boycotted nearly all House meetings and sessions, stopping the legislature from deliberating on important issues, moves Joko himself has regretted.

The KMP has also refused to give in to the KIH's demands. "There'll be no re-election [of commission chairs]," House Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon said. "What has been established [by House speakers] stands."

Fadli, of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) – a KMP member – said the only way for the KIH to gain some control over key posts is for the House to add the number of commissions. "Besides, we haven't named chairmen and deputy chairman for [House] budget committee and [House] internal affairs committee," he said.

Dadang Rusdiana of the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) – a member of the KIH – however said a re-election of all commission chairmanship posts "is not negotiable."

"We hope the KMP will realize they can't stage hearings with the government [without the KIH] because they will not reach a quorum," he said. Political observer Leo Agustino from Banten's Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University, said the problem can only be resolved through talks between lawmakers as well as party leaders.

"This can only be resolved if everyone just keep their heads cool. Common sense and reason should be the main tool in any political communications," he said.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/house-split-stand-continues/