People's Representative Council


The People's Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia, alternatively translatable as the House of Representatives or as the House of People's Representatives, is one of two elected national legislative assemblies in Indonesia.
Together with the Regional Representative Council, a second chamber with limited powers, it makes up a legislative body, the People's Consultative Assembly. For the 2014 session, there were 560 members, but following the 2019 elections, there will be 575 members, all elected.
The house has been the subject of frequent public criticism due to perceived high levels of fraud and corruption.

History

''Volksraad''

In 1915, members of the Indonesian nationalist organisation Budi Utomo and others toured the Netherlands to argue for the establishment of a legislature for the Dutch East Indies, and in December 1916 a bill was passed to establish a Volksraad. It met for the first time in 1918. Ten of its nineteen members elected by local councils were Indonesians, as were five of the nineteen appointed members. However, it had only advisory powers, although the governor-general had to consult it on financial matters. The body grew in size to 60 members, half of who were elected by a total of 2,228 people.
In 1925, the Volksraad gained some legislative powers. It had to agree to the budget and internal legislation, and could sponsor laws of its own. However, it had no power to remove the governor general and remained nothing more than a gesture.
In 1940, after the German invasion of the Netherlands, and the fleeing of the Dutch government to exile in London, there was a motion calling for an inquiry into turning it into a quasi-legislature, but this was withdrawn after a negative response from the government. In July 1941, the Volksraad passed a motion calling for the creation of a militia made up of up to 6,000 Indonesians In February 1942, the Japanese invasion began, and in May 1942 the Dutch formally dissolved the Volksraad. It was replaced by a council made up of heads of departments.

Japanese occupation

The Japanese invaded Indonesia in 1942. By 1943, the tide had turned against them, and to encourage support for the war effort, the Japanese appointed Indonesian advisors to the administration and appointed Sukarno leader of a new Central Advisory Board in Jakarta. In March 1945, the Japanese established the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence or BPUPK, chaired by Radjiman Wediodiningrat, with Sukarno, Hatta and Thamrin among its members. This body drew up a constitution for an independent Indonesia over several weeks of meetings. At a session of the Committee on 1 June 1945, Sukarno laid down the principles of Pancasila by which an Indonesia would be governed.
On 7 August, the day after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence or PPKI was established. Sukarno was chairman, and Hatta vice-chairman. The two proclaimed the Independence of Indonesia on 17 August. On 18 August, the PPKI accepted the constitution drawn up by the BPUPK as the provisional Constitution of Indonesia and decided that during a six-month transition period, the new republic would be governed according to the constitution by a president, assisted by a National Committee, who would establish the two chamber legislature mandated by the constitution. The upper chamber, the People's Consultative Assembly would then have six months to draw up a new constitution, leaving open the possibility that this would be an entirely new document free of the influence of the situation prevailing during World War II. The PPKI also named Sukarno as president and Hatta vice-president.

KNIP

The Central Indonesian National Committee or KNIP was a body appointed to assist the president of the newly independent Indonesia, Sukarno, on 29 August 1945. It was originally planned to have a purely advisory function, but on 18 October, Vice-president Hatta issued Edict No.X transferring the powers the Constitution conferred on the People's Consultative Assembly and People's Representative Council from the president to the KNIP. The day-to-day tasks of the KNIP would be carried out by a Working Committee.
During the War of Independence, the entire KNIP was unable to meet regularly. Therefore, the KNIP acted as the upper house, the People's Consultative Assembly in the constitution, meeting only infrequently to discuss fundamental and pressing national issues, while the Working Committee acted as the day-to-day parliament.

The Federal Legislature

In January 1948, the Dutch authorities established the Provisional Federal Council for Indonesia comprising Lieutenant Governor Hubertus van Mook and eight Indonesians chosen by him to represent the views of Indonesia. Two months later, the council made up of heads of departments that the Dutch had set up to replace the pre-war Volksraad officially became the Provisional Federal Government. This body invited heads of the states making up the United States of Indonesia to send delegates to the Federal Conference in Bandung in May 1948. That month, leaders of states and other areas joined together to establish the Federal Consultative Assembly to represent the federal regions.
Following the transfer of sovereignty to the United States of Indonesia, in December 1949, the state adopted a bicameral system, with a 150-member People's Representative Council and a Senate with two representatives from each of the 16 component areas of the RIS. Initially People's Representative Council had 50 representatives from the Republic of Indonesia and 100 from the 15 component parts of the RIS. The plan was for elections within a year. The KNIP met for the last time on 15 December 1949 to agree to the Republic of Indonesia joining the RIS.
This People's Representative Council met for the first time on 15 February 1950 at the former Sociëteit Concordia Building on Jalan Wahidin, Jakarta. Most of the sessions were held n this building, but it also met at other buildings, inclusing the Hotel Des Indies. The DPR-RIS passed seven laws in its six months of existence, but was soon overtaken by events as the federal system collapsed as the individual states dissolved themselves into the unitary Republic of Indonesia.

Liberal Democracy

Given that the Republic of Indonesia did not want the RIS parliament to become the legislature of the unitary republic, in May 1950, Hatta and representatives from the federal states agreed to establish a new parliament comprising the 150 members of the RIS parliament, 46 members of the KNIP Working Committee, 13 from the Republic of Indonesia Supreme Advisory council and 32 RIS senators, making 241 members. On 17 August 1950, the RIS was formally dissolved and the unitary Republic of Indonesia came into being.
The Provisional People's Representative Council met for the first time on 16 August 1950. By then there had been minor changes to the agreed composition as three RIS senators had refused to take their seats and 21 representatives from the State of Pasundan were replaced by 19 members appointed by the Republic. Of the 236 members, only 204 took their oaths of office on 20 August, and only 170 voted in the election of the speaker, which was narrowly won by Sartono of the Indonesian National Party. Masyumi was the largest parliamentary party with 49 seats. The PNI had 36 seats and no other party had more than 17.
In 1952, the DPR demanded a reorganisation of the Ministry of Defense and the dismissal of the Army leadership in response to military opposition to troop reductions. This led to the '17 October 1952' incident with large-scale demonstrations at the presidential palace by soldiers and civilians demanding the DPR be dissolved. The crowd dispersed after Sukarno addressed it.
Despite the election bill being introduced in 1951, it was not passed until 1953 and elections were held in 1955. The results surprised everybody. The Indonesian Socialist Party did worse than expected, as did Masyumi, while the Indonesian Communist party did better than predicted. Following the election, the PNI and Masyumi had 57 seats each, the Nahdlatul Ulama had 45 and the PKI 39. There were now 28 parties in parliament, compared with 20 before the election. Only 63 of the 257 pre-election members of parliament still had seats, but there were 15 women members compared with eight before. The new parliament met on 26 March 1956.
Over the next few years, public dissatisfaction with the political parties grew. In 1957, Sukarno announced his concept of a national unity cabinet and a National Council made up of functional groups to advise the cabinet. This Council was established in May 1957. On 5 July 1959, Sukarno issued a decree, which as well as reviving the provisional 1945 Constitution, dissolved parliament.
The new DPR took office on 22 July 1959. It accepted the president's decree by acclamation and said it was ready to work as stipulated by the 1945 Constitution. However, in March 1960 it unexpectedly rejected the government's budget. Sukarno then dissolved it as it was seen as no longer fulfilling the president's hopes that it would work with him in the spirit of the 1945 Constitution, Guided Democracy and the Political manifesto. The DPR session ended on 24 June.

Guided Democracy

Sukarno then used this difference of opinion with the legislature as justification for the establishment of a People's Representative Council of Mutual Assistance. The membership was no longer based on the results of the 1955 election, but was determined by the president, who could appoint and dismiss members at will. Political opponents were sidelined, and some who opposed the establishment of the DPR-GR refused to take their seats. As Masyumi and the Indonesian Socialist Party did not agree with Sukarno, they were given no seats, meaning there was no longer a parliamentary opposition. A number of representatives from various functional groups including the military were also appointed. As of mid-1962, there were 281 members; 130 from 10 political parties, 150 from 20 functional groups and 1 representative from West Irian.
The responsibilities and duties of the parliament were dramatically curtailed as it was reduced to helping the government implement its policies. In 1960 it produced only 9 laws, compared with 87 in 1958 and 29 in 1959. It became little more than a rubber stamp for Sukarno's policies. For example, it passed a law allowing volunteers to be sent to participate in the 'Confrontation' with Malaysia.

New Order

Following the coup attempt of the 30 September Movement in 1965, which was officially blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party, the DPR-GR was purged of PKI members – 57 communist members were suspended. On 14 November parliament resumed without the PKI representatives, including deputy speaker M. H. Lukman. In 1969, the government passed an election law that set the membership of the DPR at 360 elected and 100 appointed members. The number of representatives from the military increased to 75. Elections were finally held in 1971, having been delayed to allow preparations to ensure a victory for the government's Golkar organisation.
Following the election, the words Gotong Royong were removed and the body became the Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat again. In 1973 the remaining political parties were reduced to two, the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party. For the remainder of the New Order, Golkar won absolute majorities at every elections, while the parliament did not produce a single law on its own initiative, its role being reduced to passing laws proposed by the government.

Reform era

In May 1998, President Suharto stepped down and the following year saw Indonesia's first free elections since 1955. Of the 500 seats, 462 were elected, while 38 seats were reserved for the military/police faction. In the 2004 elections, all 550 seats were elected. In the 2009 elections the number of seats was increased to 560. There are now no appointed military officers in the legislature.

Powers

The DPR has three main functions, legislative, budgeting and oversight. It draws up and passes laws of its own as well discussing and approving government regulations in lieu of law and proposals from the Regional Representatives Council related to regional issues. Together with the president, it produces the annual budget, taking into consideration the views of the DPD. It also has the right to question the president and other government officials.
The President of Indonesia does not hold the power to dissolve the People's Representative Council.

Current composition

The People's Representative Council has 575 members resulting from the 2019 legislative election. The representatives come from 9 political parties.

Structure

Leadership

The DPR is chaired by a speaker and four deputy speakers elected from the membership. The speaker shall come from the party with most seats, and the order of the deputies are based from the amount of seats as well. In this case, party with the second-most seats shall get the first order of deputy speaker.

Commissions

There are a total of eleven commissions whose job it is to discuss matters related to their areas of responsibility and formulate bills for submission to the plenary session of the Council. The commissions and areas of responsibility are:


The commissions can meet with the president or ministers and can hold meetings to listen to public opinion.

List of Speakers

No.NameAssumed officeLeft office
1.Sartono22 February 195022 July 1959
2.KH Zainul Arifin26 June 196013 January 1963
3.Arudji Kartawinata13 January 1963February 1966
4.Mursalin MamangungFebruary 196317 May 1966
5.KH Achmad Sjaichu17 May 196628 October 1971
6.KH Idham Chalid1 October 19721 October 1977
7.Adam Malik1 October 197723 March 1978
8.Lt Gen Daryatmo23 March 19781 October 1982
9.Lt Gen Amirmachmud1 October 19821 October 1987
10.Lt Gen Kharis Suhud1 October 19871 October 1992
11.Lt Gen Wahono1 October 19921 October 1997
12.Harmoko1 October 19971 October 1999
13.Akbar Tanjung1 October 19991 October 2004
14.Agung Laksono1 October 20041 October 2009
15.Marzuki Alie1 October 20091 October 2014
16.Setya Novanto2 October 201416 December 2015
—Fadli Zon 16 December 201511 January 2016
17.Ade Komaruddin11 January 201630 November 2016
Setya Novanto30 November 201611 December 2017
—Fadli Zon 11 December 201715 January 2018
18.Bambang Soesatyo15 January 20181 October 2019
19.Puan Maharani1 October 2019Incumbent

Citations