NO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT UNDER PRESENT GOVT : KIEMAS

Balikpapan, E Kalimantan, Jan 24 (ANTARA) - The chiefs of Indonesia's high state institutions have reached an understanding that no amendment will be made to the 1945 Constitution under the present administration, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Chairman Taufik Kiemas said.

"We have agreed that we will not amend the constitution during the term of the present government," Kiemas said here on Saturday.

Kiemas made the remark in response to a press question about the possibility of the 1945 Constitution being amended again under the present government.

Recent rumors had it that there was a possibility the present government would amend the 1945 Constitution.

They said constitutional articles that were likely to be amended were those on the president's term of office and regarding the authority of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

"There should be no amendment to the constitution during the term of the present government but I don't know under the next government because it will depend on developments," he said.

Asked on the possibility of impeaching the president and vice president, Kiemas said that impeachment was regulated in article 7 of the 1945 Constitution.

He said that the article clearly explained the process of an impeachment.

In the meantime, DPD chairman Irman Gusman who accompanied the MPR chairman said that matters relating to impeachment of the president were clearly arranged in the state constitution. Thus, such a process remained possible based on the constitution.

The higher state institutions discussed impeachment at the Bogor Palace recently, he said adding that the constitution had clearly outlined the conditions of an impeachment process.

"Everything related to the matter is clear enough," he said.