Page 71 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
IN INDONESIA

The rights and obligations of the Working Com-
mittee were described on October 20, 1945. The
Working Committee’s (BP) obligations included:
(1) Participate in establishing the State Guide-
KNIP’s authority that lines (GBHN), meaning that BP was to collabo-

was carried out by rate with the President in establishing the GBHN;

the BP on a day-to- and (2) Together with the President, stipulate the
Laws. The first was a task of the MPR, while the
day basis changed, second was a task of the DPR.

from once being The description also mentioned that BP, which

an assistant to the worked on behalf of KNIP, would no longer man-

President to becoming age executive works. BP’s power would end after
the formation of the MPR and DPR. The descrip-
an independent body tion of the tasks made based on the Vice Presi-

with legislative power. dent’s Declaration No. X then drastically changed
the meaning of Article IV of the Transitional Rules
of the 1945 Constitution.

With this declaration, the President’s powers
were reduced, while KNIP’s authority that was
carried out by the BP on a day-to-day basis
changed, from once being an assistant to the President to becoming an
independent body with legislative power. Declaration No. X, whose birth
was encouraged by the Plenary Session of KNIP, had turned KNIP into
the root of MPR and BP the forerunner of the DPR.

Who would lead the BP and KNIP? On the second day of the session on
October 17, 1945, members listened to the report of the formators whose
tasks were to form the composition and personnel of BP. The BP was
composed of 15 members, with executives including:

• Chairman: Sutan Syahrir

• Deputy Chairman: Amir Syarifuddin
• Secretary: Suwandi

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