Ezra Sihite & Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The House of Representatives was back in session on Monday, kind of. With more than 240 lawmakers failing to show up for the first day of the new session, little work got done and some discussions had to be shelved.
"I am concerned that so many discussions failed to meet the targeted quorum," said House Deputy Speaker Anis Matta. "I think there needs to be a change in our disciplinary sanctions."
Only 88 of 148 lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party were at the House on Monday, while 67 of 106 lawmakers from the Golkar Party were present.
Eleven of the 17 lawmakers from the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) were present, while only 12 of 26 Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) lawmakers showed up for work.
Anis, from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said it should be up to the parties to reprimand their absent members. "We will leave it up to the parties," he said. "If they can't control their members, that is their problem. It is their image that is at stake."
When lawmakers could muster enough people for talks, the results were often controversial.
Several lawmakers criticized Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Busyro Muqoddas for saying that some legislators had lifestyles that did not reflect their mandate as representatives of the people.
House Speaker Marzuki Alie, from the Democrats, said Busyro was off the mark. He said a number of lawmakers had been successful businesspeople before entering politics.
"If there are House members who were penniless and suddenly became rich after becoming lawmakers, then it is the job of law enforcement to investigate them," Marzuki said.
"There are a lot of rich people at the House, but they should live modestly," he added. "Take me, for example. I have postponed the renovation of my house in Halim [East Jakarta]."
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari said Busyro's remarks were off-base.
"Lifestyle is an irrelevant measure of a politician's performance. Whether your live modestly or lavishly, if you do not contribute, then you should be criticized," she said.
Priyo Budi Santoso, a House deputy speaker from Golkar, said Busyro should focus less on judging lawmakers' lifestyles and more on fighting graft. "Lately, [Busyro] has a new habit of meddling in other people's business," he said.
"Just concentrate on rebuilding the KPK's image, which, for the last year, has been under fire. I am sure if the chairman focused on his primary goals, the institution would perform better."
Anis speculated that Busyro's remarks might have been part of a hidden agenda, but he did not say what that agenda might be.
Marzuki seemed unfazed by the large number of truant lawmakers on what should have been their first day back to work. The speaker said he was confident that at least 13 legislative items would be enacted during the current session, which lasts until mid-December.
"The leaders of the House are pushing ourselves to perform our legislative functions, although our budgeting and monitoring tasks must also be done," he said.
Among the 13 bills the House is focusing on is the law on the special status of Yogyakarta, which has been stalled since 2009. As of October, the House has only passed a total of 18 bills for the year.