Recess, derived from the Latin word recessus, means “to withdraw” or “to pause.” In a political and parliamentary context, the term was adopted into Dutch (reces) and later entered Indonesian as the official term for a break in sessions, when council members leave the parliament building and return to their constituencies. In the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), the recess period for representative members in 2026 begins in January with the first recess, during which council members hold face-to-face meetings with residents across the province for two to four weeks. Recesses are usually scheduled several times a year, consisting of Recess I, II, and III. Following the annual pattern of the DIY DPRD, Recess II typically takes place around June–July, while Recess III is held around November–December.
Council member recesses are an important opportunity for representatives to return to their constituents, gather input, and ensure that parliamentary policies are truly grounded in the community’s needs. For the public, meeting face-to-face with council members to voice concerns is crucial. One such recess meeting with Dr. Raden Stevanus Christian Handoko, S.Kom., M.M., a member of the Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) Provincial DPRD from the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), was held on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the Brontokusuman Public Green Open Space (RTHP), located on the banks of the Code River. The event was attended by several community leaders and activists.
During the meeting, he outlined programs and training courses available to the public through relevant agencies and regional government offices (OPD). Participants raised concerns about waste management, disaster preparedness, sustainability initiatives, community leadership regeneration, unemployment mitigation, and land and housing management. He also distributed sheets of paper for attendees to submit written suggestions and feedback, which would later be compiled as documents to be presented at council meetings.
The council–community meeting held by Bung Stev, as he is familiarly known, during his recess went well, though it was quite limited. The event, originally scheduled to run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., began late due to a location mix-up and ended an hour earlier than planned. As a member of the public, the writer hopes that recess meetings do not become mere political rituals, lest they lose their democratic spirit as a bridge between the people and their representatives. Furthermore, the writer extends gratitude to Bung Stev, who is regarded as a Solitary Democracy Fighter—one voice, a thousand aspirations—the only PSI representative to secure a seat in the Yogyakarta Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD I).
Finally,
recess must serve as a genuine space for the people to express their voices,
while also demonstrating the commitment of their representatives to follow up
on every aspiration received. Wishing success in this endeavor.***
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