Page 113 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
IN INDONESIA

Another problem faced by the DPRS at that time was related to the ap-
pointment of a vice president who would accompany the president in
carrying out his duties. At that time, the DPRS had the right to propose
the name of a vice presidential candidate to the president. This was
aligned with the contents of Article 45 of the 1950 Constitution regarding
the appointment of a vice president. Initially, five names appeared to be
nominated in the vice-presidential election: Mohammad Hatta, Ki Hajar
Dewantara, Sukiman Wirjosandjojo, Sartono, and Alimin.

The proposed names were then changed. New
names appeared, such as Nerus Ginting Suka,
Sutan Syahrir, Mohammad Yamin, Iwa Kusuma
The crisis experienced Sumantri, and M. Burhanuddin, resulting in eight

by Natsir’s cabinet proposed names for vice presidential candidates.
In the voting session to suggest names for vice-
reached its peak presidential candidates, Mohammad Hatta re-
in early 1951 when ceived unanimous votes from members of parlia-
ment.
the opposition in

parliament led by One of the challenging tasks carried out by Nat-
sir’s cabinet was to settle West Irian’s status. In
the PNI filed the the first months of 1950, failure after failure to dis-
Hadikusumo motion. cuss the status of West Irian became common-
place between the Indonesian and Dutch gov-
ernments. The difficulty of resolving the status
of West Irian was caused by the differing views
between the two parties. Indonesia believed that,
according to the KMB agreement, West Irian
should be handed over to Indonesia no later than December 27, 1950, or
exactly one year after the signing of the KMB. However, the Netherlands
had always postponed it.

The DPRS, in its efforts to resolve the status of West Irian, took internal
and external. Internal steps were taken by unanimously approving Si-
las Papare, chairman of the Indonesian Irian Independence Party (PKII),
as a member of parliament and by encouraging the government to find
ways to implement the motion. Meanwhile, external measures included
establishing a parliamentary mission abroad. This mission explained to
the visited countries that West Irian, as stipulated in the 1950 constitu-
tion, was part of Indonesia.

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