http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/new-indonesian-lawmakers-take-oath/333066
October 02, 2009 Febriamy Hutapea & Markus Junianto Sihaloho New Indonesian Lawmakers Take Oath With just a passing mention of the disaster unfolding in Padang, 560 new members of the House of Representatives and 128 members of the Regional Representatives Council were sworn in on Thursday for the 2009-14 term in a ceremony criticized for its $4.7 million budget. Greeted by banners outside the House that read, "Don't disappoint the people," and "Remember your sweet promises," the legislators stood to take their oaths of office in front of beaming family members and foreign dignitaries during a House plenary session. "In the name of Allah, we promise to fulfill our duties to the best of our abilities," they repeated after Supreme Court Chief Justice Harifin Tumpa. "We will work seriously to uphold democracy and fight for the people's aspirations for the national interest." The Regional Representatives Council (DPD) members then made similar pledges. The DPD and the House (DPR) comprise the People's Consultative Assembly. Hopes that the new crop of legislators would be able to distance themselves from the corruption that blighted the body over the last term took a hit with the inauguration of Muhammad Izzul Islam, a United Development Party (PPP) legislator from West Nusa Tenggara. He had been sentenced by the Mataram District Court on Lombok to eight months in jail for counterfeiting his high school certificate, but has yet to begin his incarceration. The 2008 Election Law stipulates that legislative candidates would be disqualified if they had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment of five years or more. Related articles Indonesia's House Passes Four More Bills as Clock Ticks 11:22 PM 15/09/2009 Indonesia's House Passes Record Four Bills in One Day 12:58 AM 15/09/2009 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
