Bulaksumur – Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) are advised to remove comparative study program abroad from their agenda because it is seen as not aspirational, wasting the budget, and potentially corrupt.
The issue was raised in the seminar entitled Comparative Study: Learning or Vacation, which took place in Multimedia Room, Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University on Thursday (2/12). Present as the speaker, a member of DPD, Zulbahri; UGM Pukat Corruption researcher, Hifdzil Alim; researcher of Indonesia’s policy and Legal Studies Center (PSHK), Ronald Rofiandri; and observer of parliament joining the Formappi group, T.A Legowo.
Toni believed that data and information collecting from a foreign country can be done through a study week that is conducted in the country by inviting speakers from abroad. “The Study Week can be done during the recess, furthermore it can be managed nationally so it is more efficient, effective, and productive," he said.
Ronald Rofiandri said the effectiveness of a comparative study should at least meet the three prerequisites, namely a previous comparative study program has run effectively, the need for a comparative study, and the availability of processing methods of comparative studies product. If these are not met, comparative studies will be responded negatively by the public. "This is experienced by the House of Representatives and unfortunately, the negative perception has possibly expanded to the Regional Representatives Council (DPD)," he said.
Ronald mentioned the principles of transparency and accountability of the comparative studies program conducted so far also proved not working well in the House of Representatives. Evidently, from 143 overseas visits by members of Parliament in the period 2004-2009, only three of the results reports published. As for the current membership of Parliament, at least 19 times comparative study visits to 14 countries have been made. "Actually, even up until now the outcome and the extent to which has been processed are still unknown," he said.
Member of DPD RI, Zulbahri, admitted that DPD only conducted comparative studies for the first time since it was first established in 2004 to the UK September to find a model for the formation of the legal center which the Council plans to establish. He added that any comparative studies activity conducted by DPD is intended to gain experience about the existence of parliaments in many countries, the dynamics of the local government and decentralization reforms.