Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has met with leaders of the House of Representatives (DPR), in an attempt to settle a political deadlock between the two camps in the legislature, which has caused a standstill in the House.

After a unscheduled closed-door meeting with the DPR leaders, the President said: "We hope the House can settle its problems soon because the government wants to have hearings with the House.The government needs the House's oversight."

The deadlock, or polarization at the DPR apparently deteriorated earlier this week as the opposing camps -- the Nationhood Coalition, which is made up of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party, the Christian-based Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), and the Reform Star Party (PBR) and also supported by the National Awakening Party (PKB) on one side is facing with the People's Coalition which comprises the Democratic Party (PD), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) as well as other small parties grouped in the Democratic Pioneer Star (BPD) faction.

The polarization took place as the two camps competed for the 11 DPR sub-committee leaders.

As the Nationhood Coalition controls at least 275 seats of the 550-member DPR, it has insisted that the posts be put to a vote, while the People's Coalition wants the posts to be proportionally distributed among the party factions in the DPR.

Last week, the People's Coalition with only a total of 232 seats in the DPR, which backs President Susilo and his new cabinet,boycotted the DPR plenary session that was scheduled to elect leaders of the 11 sub-committees of the House and five other auxiliary bodies. Consequently, all the major leadership posts have been occupied by the Nationhood Coalition. Soon after that, the People's Coalition formed its own 11 working sub-committees.

During the confrontations, the PKB played a key role. Although two of the PKB figures have been appointed as ministers of Susilo's new cabinet, the party also supported the People's Coalition in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), seen as the upper house of the Indonesian legislature, but teamed up with the Nationhood Coalition fighting for leading posts of sub-committees.

The deadlock at the House badly affected all daily work and even halted all discussions such as some important issues over therevision of the 2005 State Budget, the divestment of the state-owned banks BNI and Bank Permata, as well as the possible increaseof the fuel prices and other commodities.

The confrontation between the two camps could be traced back tothe presidential election runoff. The four-party Nationhood Coalition formed on August 19 to support former President MegawatiSoekarnoputri's re-election bid and the pro-Susilo People's Coalition was set up as a response. However, after Susilo won the election to become the 6th president of the republic, the confrontation did not disappear.

The new DPR was sworn in on October 1. The political deadlock happened within local analysts' expectation, but not so soon and so quickly. Many people are concerned that if the confrontation could not be settled in a short time, it could become a serious constitutional crisis, bringing more trouble for the new government.

Source: Xinhua