Page 253 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
IN INDONESIA

DPR RI in 1999-2004:

PROGRESS AND EFFORTS TO CONTROL

THE LIFE OF DEMOCRACY

The 1999 election was the most democratic after the 1955 election. Some of
the indicators were the number of parties participating in the election, the

enthusiasm of the people in distributing their right to vote, and the results were
fairly competitive where no single party won more than 50 percent.

THE implementation of the 1999 general election not only showed the
format of the party system but also became one of the conditions that
fulfill the prerequisites of democracy. First, there was accountability in
which the elected representatives of the people must be accountable
to their voters. Second, there was a rotation of power in which power
was not only monopolized by one particular group for a long time. Third,
there was an open political recruitment. Fourth, there was an existence
of democratic and competitive elections. And fifth, there was a guarantee
for the public to enjoy basic rights such as freedom of opinion, freedom of
assembly, and freedom of the press.

After the 1999 general election was held, from 1 to 21 October 1999, the
General Assembly of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) was
held as a result of the election. The inauguration of 700 members of the
DPR/MPR for the 1999-2004 period was held on 1 October 1999. Amien
Rais from the National Mandate Party and Akbar Tanjung from the Func-
tional Groups Party were elected as Speaker of the MPR and Speaker of
the DPR through a voting mechanism. The General Assembly of the Peo-
ple’s Consultative Assembly also presented the accountability speech of
President B.J. Habibie on 14 October 1999.

A total of 11 factions expressed their general views on Habibie’s account-
ability speech, and four factions firmly refused. Meanwhile, the seven
factions did not expressly refuse and only provided a number of notes
and counter-questions. Some members of the public and students who

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