"The House leaders hope to decide whether to maintain the present number of 11 existing commissions or to increase it," Marwan Jafar, chairman of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) faction , said.
Marwan said the meeting on Monday is expected to determine the number of commissions but the naming of commission leaders have yet to wait.
"There is nothing wrong about the idea of increasing the number of commissions but I strongly oppose it if the motive is only to satisfy some ambition for power," he said.
PKB is a member of the minority coalition in the parliament .
Marwan said the 11 existing commissions are ideal and enough for the House to carry out its function to control the work of the executive body.
Moreover , currently it is not possible to determine the commission chairmen while the new cabinet under the president elect Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is not yet announced, he said.
The new cabinet line up is expected to be announced only after the installation of Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla the vice president elect on Oct 20.
"Only after we know the number and names of of ministries , the House could name commission leaders," Marwan said.
Each commission has the function as a watchdog for different working partners among the ministries and other government agencies.
A law maker from the faction of the Democratic Party Herman
Khaeron said the existing 11 commissions are effective enough to carry out the watchdog function.
"Increasing the would have lengthy implications. There would be additional staff and new rooms needed. That would mean additional budget.
"It could not be decided unilaterally and in such short time as it would mean additional budget," Herman said.
He instead proposed the forming sub-commissions which would be part of the existing commissions.
Democratic Party is under President Susislo Bambang Yudhoyono, who indicated that his party stands between the two rival coalitions although it has tended to support the majority coalition in the parliament.
The majority coalition groups political parties that stand as opposition to the new government backed up by the minority in the parliament.
The proposal to increase the number of Commissions came first from a deputy speaker of the House from the Gerindra faction Fadli Zon.
Fadli said additional commissions are needed as the House has to deal with many working partners to discuss draft laws and to carry out its function to control the performance of the executive body.
Some commissions have too many working partners that they could not function efficiently," he said.
(T.SYS/A/H-ASG/F001)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
