Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gave a glowing review on Wednesday of the performance of the House of Representatives for passing key legislation, despite criticism that lawmakers have failed to achieve their own targets.
In his speech delivered before a special session of the People Consultative Assembly (MPR), Jokowi said that lawmakers had passed laws that would be crucial in helping to propel the government's key development programs for 2017.
Jokowi said that some of the 14 laws passed by the House this year could boost exports and also the cut red-tape that had hampered foreign investment.
The President also praised the House for jumpstarting internal reforms within the legislative body. "The House has continued carrying out internal reform and has become a modern and trusted representative body," Jokowi said in his address.
Watchdog groups have blasted the current batch of lawmakers for failing to meet their own legislative agenda.
For 2017, the House planned to endorse 50 priority bills, but as of July this year, it has managed to pass only four bills or eight percent of the total target.
Since being inaugurated in 2014, the House has enacted only 15 priority laws, which is a new low for the institution. The 2009-2014 batch of lawmakers endorsed 40 laws in its third year.