New MPR, DPR And Members Inaugurated

Jakarta, Oct 1 (Antara) - The parliament members elected in the April 9 legislative elections for the 2014-2019 term were inaugurated during a ceremony held in the first plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR) here on Wednesday. The plenary session of DPR was led by 76-year-old Otje Djundjunan, the oldest member from the Golkar Party, and was accompanied by 26-year-old Ade Rizki Pratama, the youngest member belonging to the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra). The event was attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Boediono, several cabinet ministers, President-elect Joko Widodo, Vice President-elect Jusuf Kalla, numerous political party leaders, and also the envoys from friendly countries, and other invitees. On April 9, Indonesians elected members of the DPR, Regional Representative Council (DPD), and regional legislative assemblies (DPRD). In the meantime, the first plenary meeting of the DPD was led by the youngest member, 24-year-old Riri Damayanti and was accompanied by the oldest member, 79-year-old Mudaffar Sjah. The first session of the People`s Consultative Assembly (MPR), which comprised members of the DPR and DPD, was presided over by the youngest member Ade Rezki Pratama and was accompanied by Mudaffar Sjah. Several former ministers, including transportation minister E.E. Mangindaan from the Democrat Party and manpower minister Muhaimin Iskandar from the Nation Awakening Party, who had resigned following their election as the members of the DPR were also present during the ceremony. Marzuki Ali, the former DPR speaker for the 2009-2014 period, expressed hope that the new DPR members will not be tempted to commit corruption as it would tarnish the reputation of the institution. "The key to preventing temptation is commitment," he emphasized. On a separate occasion, the Student Executive Bodies (BEM) from across Indonesia have voiced their rejection to the inauguration of DPR members who have been involved in corruption cases. "Members of MPR, DPR, and DPD must have integrity and should be free of corruption," stated President of BEM of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) Diki Saefurohman. In the meantime, Ade Irawan, the coordinator of the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), shed light on the three loopholes that might be used as entry points to corruption. The three loopholes are the processes of legislation, appointment of public officials, and budgeting. The ICW has conducted monitoring and has created an inventory of the elected members and has found at least 59 people who have been implicated in corruption cases. In this regard, the ICW organized a peaceful demonstration to reject their inauguration.