Jakarta – The current People's Consultative Assembly Annual Session, costing 18 billion rupiah (US$1.6 million), is talking gibberish, which people from Irian Jaya, Sulawesi, Java and Sumatra say has nothing to do with their lives.

Jacobus Malu Dendu, 30, owner of a chicken farm, Jayapura, Irian Jaya: I could hardly breathe when listening to President Megawati Soekarnoputri's speech at the Session. On the economy, her speech was just rhetoric to legitimize what she had done. The foreign loans approved by Megawati's administration are just a way to economic destruction. I have no idea why everything is so expensive nowadays. My point is that the people do not need rhetoric. We want action."

Jacobus Abdurachman Upara, former head of the Jayapura Legal Aid Institute (LBH): What Megawati said in her speech was the opposite to what is happening in the ground. Her address sounded good, but electricity charges and fuel prices are still increasing. However, it's not fair to say that Megawati has failed. After all, she has just been president for only 100 days. But the initial days are crucial in deciding future policies.

Rajamin Sirait, chairman of local youth organization Pemuda Mitra Kamtibmas, Medan, North Sumatra: The scuffling on the first day of the Session was a real disgrace to the members of the Assembly. The chaos clearly showed that the Assembly members still put the their groups' interests beyond the nation's. Meanwhile, 200 million people are expecting that they manage to save "the leaking boat" from sinking. I am pessimistic that this year's session will bring about an improvement in the national economy. We should be aware that it will take more time for the country to restore itself. The Assembly members have contributed to the worsening situation.

Andi Rudiyanto Asapa, president of the Makassar Lawyers Club: I am not interested in the Session. The only thing that grabbed my attention was the chaotic opening. That was the first time ever in Indonesian (legislative) history that honorable Assembly members have been involved in scuffling. The fighting could set a bad precedent for our democracy. The man in the street will say that he could do even better than the representatives in the Assembly.

Iis Risnaeni, a 27-year-old housewife in Bandung: I don't believe that the legislative body can lead the country to a better future. We have seen that the many House and Assembly sessions have changed nothing, meaning that we have spent billions of rupiah for nothing. For ordinary people like me, economic recovery is a must. But how can our economy get better if we are always engaged in fighting and brawling with each other.

Joko Ardi Ambawang, a member of a municipal legislative council from the Justice Party faction in Bandung: There is no difference between the current Assembly/House and those during the New Order regime. They live in an ivory tower, ignoring what the people really want. The Session will not produce decisions which accord with the people's aspirations. The scuffle among the Assembly members was an example of the Assembly members just focusing on their own interests.

Suwarni, 38, an administrative staffer in Gadjah Mada University's central office, Yogyakarta: the Session is a useless project that wastes time and money. I see nothing of benefit to the ordinary people, like myself, discussed there. The most interesting thing I saw was the heated quarrel between Assembly members. The MPR Annual Session should be abolished because it will only provides an opportunity for greedy politicians to perpetually engage in political maneuvering that will worsen the political climate.

Kuncoro, 43, a mechanic at an auto repair workshop on Jl. A.M. Sangaji, Yogyakarta: One thing I can't understand is why politicians never empathize with the public's suffering. Up till now, the economic crisis remains unsolved. But, they [the politicians] can only think of their own interests by insisting that the Assembly meet once a year. How much money is being spent on this Annual Session? I would be in favor if the MPR were only to meet once in every five years. I don't know anything about what they are discussing at the session. Actually, I simply don't care about that.