Page 77 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE
IN INDONESIA

In addition to the Standing Committee and Special Committee, BP
KNIP had a supplementary committee divided into six subcommittees,
including:

1. Overseas

2. Domestic

3. Development

4. Information
5. State defense; and

6. Social affairs

The responsibilities of BP KNIP’s six subcommittees included:

1. Observing government policies about matters relevant to its topics
of responsibility;

2. Observing government difficulties in implementing the law;
3. Listening to people’s voices in relation to government policies, such
as receiving people on certain days and paying attention to incom-
ing letters;

4. Investigating important events at their own discretion or at the dis-
cretion of the Working Committee; and

5. Submitting proposals and reports to the Working Committee on is-
sues relevant to its topics of responsibility.

Regarding household and administrative matters, BP KNIP had at least
four members, who, together with the Chairman of BP KNIP, were obliged
to: (1) Supervise the secretariat of BP KNIP; (2) Appoint and dismiss sec-
retariat employees, except secretaries; and (3) Draft BP KNIP’s budget.

With the assistance of these supplementary committees, BP KNIP car-
ried out its duties, including the task of monitoring the government’s
performance. In this task, BP KNIP was responsible to listen to the gov-
ernment’s statements on policies it would or had implemented. The go-
vernment statement would be discussed and debated under a mech-
anism called the “General View” from the BP KNIP Plenary Session.
Afterwards, the government would be given the opportunity to provide
answers.

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