Page 174 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

THE NEW FACE OF INDONESIAN PARLIAMENT
(1959-1966)

reproduced and distributed the proposals to members of the DPR and
sent to the President. The proposers were then given the opportunity
to explain their proposals in the Deliberative Committee meeting. After
getting an explanation from the proposers, the Deliberative Committee
should determine the day and time if the request for information was
decided to be followed up.

In the plenary meeting that had been determined, the proposers would
re-explain the issues that would be requested for information. The Presi-
dent would then give a statement. From the information given by the
President, the proposers and other members would be given the oppor-
tunity to share their views. After that, the President would be given an-
other opportunity to give an explanation. The discussion would be con-
cluded after this session. To give an answer to the President’s response,
the proposer or a minimum of 10 members might submit a proposal for
a statement of opinion. The procedure followed the same method as that
of the request for information stated above. The DPR could then state its
opinion on the President’s response.

Up to this point, the authority of the DPR in the DPR Rules of Procedure
after the Presidential Decree of 5 July 1959, in a written juridical manner,
still showed the independence of the DPR from the intervention of the
President. Unfortunately, in reality, President Soekarno’s authoritarian at-
titude turned it the other way around.

In the midst of a new atmosphere for the DPR to return to work, on 31 De-
cember 1959, the Government issued Presidential Decree No. 7 of 1959
on conditions and simplification of parties. The reason for this presiden-
tial decree was so that there were rules for the development of parties as
a tool of democracy in an atmosphere of guided democracy. The Govern-
ment seemed to view that the political situation had become so unstable
that it was necessary to revoke the Government Decree of 3 November
1945 regarding the government’s recommendation on the formation of
political parties.

In the Presidential Decree Number 7 of 1959, it was stated that in order to
be recognized as a party, the party’s articles of association must clearly
state that the party accepts and defends the 1945 Constitution and bases
its work program on the Political Manifesto of the President of 17 August
1959. In addition, it also contained provisions that the President, after
listening to the Supreme Court, may prohibit and/or dissolve parties that
are contrary to the principles and objectives of the state.

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