Jakarta - Members of the House of Representatives are entering a tough battle over whether to ratify the newly signed ASEAN Charter, with some lawmakers expressing support for the charter a day after others questioned its benefits for Indonesia.
Lawmaker Marzuki Darusman, who represents Golkar, said his party would ratify the charter as it believed ASEAN needed legally binding rules to face new challenges.
"Despite its shortcomings, the charter has given ASEAN a legal entity, and legal basis for interactions among its members. Golkar knows ASEAN, and has no problems ratifying (the charter)," he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The former attorney general said although some lawmakers have severely criticized the charter for providing no benefits for Indonesia, they would proceed with the ratification under the condition that the government guarantees some changes on the content, including provisions on decision making processes, sanctions and a human rights body.
Mutammimul ‘Ula of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) expressed his support for the ratification, underlining the importance of ASEAN becoming a legal entity.
During a public hearing with experts from universities and think tanks on Monday, many lawmakers called the charter "toothless" and "useless to Indonesia" because it did not include sanctions and voting.
Some experts from think tanks, such as Jusuf Wanandi of the Centre from Strategic and International Studies, and some academics from several universities, also raised concerns on the charter‘s shortcomings, arguing that there was no urgency for Indonesia to ratify the charter as the grouping could go on without it.
Jusuf urged the lawmakers not to ratify the charter unless the foreign minister came up with clear terms of reference for the establishment of a human rights body, a guarantee that not all decisions would be taken by full consensus, the opening of the possibility of voting among leaders and an increase of funding for the ASEAN secretariat.
Presidential advisor on international issue Ali Alatas, who also attended the session, argued that the charter was a historical achievement for ASEAN despite its deficiencies because for the first time in its 40 years of existence, it would have a legally binding framework with a clearer organizational structure.
"So, according to me, the charter must be ratified by all ASEAN countries so that we can officially enter a new era for ASEAN, the region and the world," the former foreign minister said.
International relations analyst at the University of Indonesia Makmur Keliat, who also attended Monday‘s session, agreed with Alatas on the need for the charter‘s ratification.
"We need that charter to give ASEAN a legal framework. Along the way, we can make amendments," he said.
Head of House Commission I on defense, security and international affairs Theo Sambuaga said the difference in views was normal in a democratic process, adding that the government should quickly submit the document so the House could begin examining it.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com (8 Februari 2008)
