Brawl breaks out in Indonesia's assembly

Dozens of Indonesian legislators fought and threw punches during a nationally televised brawl that forced a temporary suspension…

Dozens of Indonesian legislators fought and threw punches during a nationally televised brawl that forced a temporary suspension of the annual session of the country's top assembly.

The fracas, the first ever in what was once a powerless, rubber-stamp institution, forced a 15-minute suspension of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) shortly before President Megawati Sukarnoputri was due to present her first accountability speech.

The trouble erupted after a group of regional appointees to the 700-member chamber demanded the right to deliver a speech and to set up their own faction, but were refused by MPR speaker Amien Rais.

There were no injuries during the brief incident.

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The MPR comprises parliament's 500 members and 200 provincial appointees.