An Oversight as One of DPD RI’s Functions and Government Accountability to the Society at Large

The members of DPD RI are independent figures who are well known to the public in their respective provinces. DPD RI is constantly communicating with the public in the regions and local governments, and consults with experts to formulate improvements in Government’s policy and to ensure their implementations. Political party officials are forbidden to be the candidates to DPD RI selection, therefore the DPD RI members are all independent.
In order to the above mentioned facts, the DPD RI among others to do their duties to oversee the implementation of all laws, including the laws to the National Budget and Local Budget, adopted by parliament which carried out by the government (both central and local).

Building of the Parliament of Finland

Call to Action in Term of Oversight


WHAT CAN DPD RI DO ?



a. Plan to allocate sufficient budget for the welfare of the people, either in the central and regional government;

b. Empower women to make welfare decision for themselves and their first than others;

c. Monitor the implementation of all laws in the central and their constituents, including their budget carried out by respective government (central and local government);

d. This is priority to the laws that supports women and children to their own families planning properly done, and;

e. If applicable ratifying the Official Development Assistance (ODA) that done between National Government/Local Government, and Foreign Donators to accelerate the eliminating the poverty.


Senator Hamdhani and Genius Umar ( center )




WHAT CAN GOVERNMENT (CENTRAL AND LOCALS) DO?

a. Establish a National Plan (work plan) to utilize the fund from the National Budget as well as the regions for each provinces;

b. Invest if applicable from ODA or other resources and complimenting with National Budget for balance, and;

c. Focus on priority of need such as for mother and children, poverty eradication, education, economic development, security, environment, impact to climate change matters.


WHAT CAN CIVIL SOCIETY DO?


a. Take an opportunity to actively approach reciprocally with DPR RI directly or via Clearing House (Public Aspiration) in each region;

b. Promote political commitment and accountability to government;

c. Advocate for short/long term, predictable donor funding;

d. Demand that National Government increase budget for the people’s welfare, and;

e. Support their effort to provide service equitability.



WHAT CAN DONORS DO?

a. Ensure adequate, predictable, long term aid flows;

b. Focus ODA on the higher burden regions, particularly for accelerating the implementation of MDGs;

c. Coordinate donor efforts to boost the impact of aid delivered, guided by country priorities, and;

d. Invest in better data collection and implementation of research in funding.

With other fellow Members of Parliaments


Achievement has been made due to the outcome of oversight as follows:

1. Bill on Special of Yogyakarta Region had been passed by parliament
Constructive, transparent and accountable financial relation between the central and regions had been realized. Therefore the horizontal and vertical gap of the government budget have been minimized and the levying of regional tax have been efficiently applied

2. Law number 34 of 2000 on Regional Taxation and Levies had be realized is aim to Regional Original Revenue (ROR) is the indicator of regions progress, increased gradually and therefore such an economic program pave the way contributes to the government effort to build the region
Various development programs that proceed well funded by the Regional Budget such as school building with its library and laboratory facilities, including the 7 (seven) points priorities

3. The regional government through their leaders respectively are playing an extremely vital role in answering the challenge of global energy and food crisis and as well as climate change of environment. They improve their policies to transforming challenges into concrete opportunities for the people’s enhanced well being

4. Among 199 less-developed regencies consists of 179 non-border border regencies and 20 border regencies. Currently there are 28 less-developed regencies liberated from the less-developed status followed by the end of this year another 30 regencies. Hopefully, the rest of condition will be improved for following years to be up-graded free from less-developed position

5. Budget for 2009 will be reformed following the Special Autonomy Fund for Aceh, Papua and West Papua. Therefore the General Allocation Fund is planned to be 26% of the net domestic income, and which already takes into account the subsidies for fuel oil, electricity and fertilizer, as a manifestation of sharing the pain between the Government and Region

6. Since 1 June 2005 until 20 August 2008, Indonesia had held 414 Regional Head Elections, whether it be the election of a Governor of Regent/Mayors
Coincide with the result have been reflected as the oversight done by the DPD RI, the Government has implemented MDG’s as follows:

7. Availability of the poor budget policy due to Eradicate poverty and hunger 20% of National Budget for Education was realized;

8. Women participation in politic his expected to be 30% (in DPD RI at next General Election 2009)

9. Some of public Health Services in each regency had been developed in order to reduce charge mortality and improve maternal health

10. Specified program to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other disease was also realize

11. Readiness on environmental sustainability and promote green reconstruction based on:
a. Sustainable development (socially acceptable, economically viable and environmentally sound)
b. Effective management of the natural resource
c. Effective participation of local communities and
d. Strengthened and decentralized natural resource governance

Accountability and Parliamentary Oversight Seminar – Helsinki, 10 – 13 November 2008

The World Bank Institute (WBI) in partnership with the Parliament of Finland conducted the Accountability and Parliamentary Oversight Seminar, which took place in Helsinki , Finland from November 10-13, 2008. This event marked 10 years of cooperation between WBI and the Parliament of Finland. The purpose of this year’s event was to bring together Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff in order to discuss the internal and external oversight mechanisms and tools available to legislatures.

Parliament’s oversight function aims to ensure that the government and its agents use their powers and available resources appropriately and with probity, and in ways that respond to the needs and interests of all members of the community. Furthermore, oversight by parliaments and other autonomous accountability institutions can help guarantee that the decisions and actions of the government stay within the bounds of the law, thereby strengthening an open and accountable democracy. Ultimately, oversight enhances public confidence in the integrity of the government’s activities and encourages all groups in the community to accept the policies of the executive branch.

This seminar brought together 25 participants from Liberia , Ghana , Nigeria , Pakistan , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Tanzania and Indonesia (two members of the Public Accounts Committee and one member of parliamentary staff from each country). The Indonesian senate ( DPD-RI ) was represented by Deputy Speaker senator Laode Ida, senator Hamdhani from Central Kalimantan and Mr. Genius Umar, Director, International Affairs Secretariat of DPD-RI. Senator Laode brought a presentation on Legislative Oversight – The Mechanism and Tools and senator Hamdhani presented An Oversight as One of DPD-RI’s Functions and Government Accountability to the Society at Large.

Senator Laode Ida spoke about the big picture of the importance of the Legislative oversight , the characteristic and category of the oversight. He also explained the mechanism of DPD-RI oversight in general. Senator Hamdhani brought more details on how article 22 D (3) of the 1945 Constitution (Indonesian Constitution) mentioned that the DPD should oversee the implementation of laws concerning:
1. Regional Autonomy
2. Formation, Expansion, and Merger of Provinces
3. Relation between Central – Local Government
4. Management of Natural Resources
5. Implementation of State Budget and its Balance Budget between the Central and Local Government
6. Taxation, Education and Religion
The results of the said oversight will be submitted to Parliament (The House of Representatives/DPR) for their consideration.

Both presenters also reported the products of the DPD-RI’s oversight for the 2004 – 2008 period, that includes : 10 Initiatives of Bill, 83 Considerations on various Bills, both proposed by The President or The Lower House, 38 Oversight Results and 23 Decisions related to the State Revenue and Budget (APBN)

INDONESIAN REGIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM ( IRIF ) 2008, 26 – 27 May 2008 at Ritz Carlton Hotel, One Pasific Place, Jakarta

Investment Forum ( IRIF ) 2008, 26 – 27 May 2008 in The Ritz Carlton Hotel , One Pasific Place, Jakarta. It brought a topic of Reaching for the tipping point: Emerging Indonesia 2008. IRIF is the leading forum for investment in Indonesia. Investors can meet directly with the Indonesian leadership and discuss projects for investment from a wide range of industry sectors including mining & energy, oil & gas, agribusiness and tourism. It hosted by The House of Regional Representatives of The Republic of Indonesia ( DPD – RI ) and inaugurated by President SBY.

Senator Nyoman Rudana from Bali,Thaksin Sinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand, and senator Hamdhani from Central Kalimantan.

With fellow DPD member senator Nyoman Rudana from Bali ( left ), business woman Mien Uno and his son Sandiaga Uno, and Mrs. Siti Nurbaya, Secretary General of DPD RI.

This forum was organized by Global Initiative and initiated by the Regional Representatives Council (DPD – RI ). President SBY inaugurated it on 26 May 2008. Global Initiative is an organization which promotes positive social change and sustainable global development through international events and media projects.

Kenichi Ohmae



IRIF 2008 was attended by around 1,000 participants and invited many top notch speakers including former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the chief commissioner of Malaysia’s Sima Darby, Tun Musa Hitam, and the CEO of Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional, Dato Azman. Kenichi Ohmae, , described as ‘Mr Strategy’ worldwide and selected by The Economist as one of the top five management gurus in the world and the author of The End of the Nation State.

Thaksin Sinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand

Among Indonesian government officials spoke at the forum were Trade Minister Mari Pangestu, Finance Minister Mrs. Sri Mulyani, Deputy Governor of the Indonesian Central Bank Mrs. Miranda Gultom, , and State Enterprises Minister Sofyan Djalil

Sri Mulyani ( left ) and Miranda Gultom ( center ).

Left to right : Dato Musa Hitam, Tanri Abeng, James Riady. and Sandiaga Uno

LEGISLATORS CALL FOR ACTION TO AVERT DANGEROUS HUMAN INTERFERENCE IN CLIMATE SYSTEM

The 116th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which was attended by some 600 parliamentarians (including 150 women) from 111 countries, has endorsed a declaration calling on parliaments to foster increased community understanding of the threat of climate change and the action needed to avert dangerous human interference in the climate system.

The declaration expresses deep concern at the growing body of scientific evidence on the probable adverse impact of climate change. "The developing countries are likely to suffer most because they lack the capacity to cope with natural disasters, and they will continue to pay a heavy toll in casualties and destroyed infrastructure".

With Senator Nyoman Rudana from Bali at the session of during IPU meeting

The legislators gathered in Nusa Dua urged the 13th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Convention, which will convene in Bali in December 2007, to formulate a feasible road map for long-term cooperation on the Convention's implementation and to pursue negotiations on the measures required to ensure continuity beyond the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period. They pledged to raise the issue of climate change in parliaments, to ask ministers about their preparation for the Bali meeting and to report back to the IPU.

Building bridges between religions and culturesThe legislators also adopted several resolutions. Under the agenda item "Ensuring respect for and peaceful co-existence between all religious communities and beliefs in a globalized world", the IPU Assembly agreed on a number of concrete recommendations to promote universal values while recognizing the multicultural diversity of societies. It urges parliaments "to take effective measures to combat incitement to, or acts of violence, intimidation and coercion motivated by hatred and intolerance based on culture, religion or belief" and to ensure "that religious and cultural sites are fully respected and protected". In addition, law enforcement officers, military personnel, educators, civil servants and other public officials must "respect different religions and beliefs and not discriminate against persons professing other religions or beliefs"; the requisite education and training must also be provided.

In recognition of the critical role of the media in cultural and religious debates, parliaments also pledged "to take effective measures to protect freedom of the press and freedom of expression and to enact legislation which promotes the ethical responsibility that goes with these freedoms, particularly not to incite hatred, racism, xenophobia, and human rights violations."

With fellow DPD members

Training, education, and safety nets key in the age of global competitionIn a second resolution, on "Job creation and employment security in the era of globalization", policy-makers said that globalization will only be fair if pro-active measures are taken to provide all people with an opportunity to find "decent work", as defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO), and with safety nets enabling them to take up other occupations or undergo further training and skills development.

To facilitate such policies, trade unions and employers must work together. The resolution "encourages all social partners, including employers' and employees' organizations, to engage in effective and inclusive social dialogue aimed at identifying policy tools and operational procedures for creating more jobs, reducing unemployment, and improving employability through skills development". It also calls on "corporations to follow the principles of corporate social responsibility" and for more incentives and greater support for the self-employed, small businesses and cooperatives. It also discusses measures to protect women workers or entrepreneurs, people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups from workplace discrimination.

The rules of political life are strengthenedA resolution on "Promoting diversity and equal rights for all through universal democratic and electoral standards" calls on parliaments "to promote, monitor and evaluate the participation of minority groups and vulnerable members of society in the electoral process".

Coming on the 10th anniversary of the IPU's Universal Declaration on Democracy, the resolution also reaffirms all of the principles set out in that declaration. It urges governments "to provide a level playing field and give equal opportunities to all candidates and political parties to take part in the democratic and electoral process and to ensure fair access to the media."

The resolution also calls on parliaments "to prevent interference by foreign governments in other countries' elections and democratic processes, and stresses the responsibility of the international community to ensure respect for the outcome of free and fair elections".

Legislators pledge to fight violence against childrenThe 116th IPU Assembly also discussed violence against children. A video on the child protection projects visited by an IPU/UNICEF group during a field visit to Nusa Tenggara Barat, on the island of Lombok, was commented by Mrs. Kay Hull, member of the Australian Parliament. "We thank the IPU and UNICEF for the opportunity to be involved and we recommend that more delegates be able to have such meaningful exposure to the many issues of your host countries", she said.

Source : IPU Press Release – 4 May 2007