Abdurrahman firm on not stepping down from post<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid insisted on Sunday
\nhe would not resign before the end of his term in 2004 even if
\nthe military turned its guns on the presidential palace.<\/p>\n
A defiant Abdurrahman challenged the military and police to
\ntry to use force to oust him, which he said would not change his
\nposition in the least.<\/p>\n
\"They can point their guns and shoot at the palace ... what
\nI'm doing is maintaining the unity of the state and I will not
\nhesitate to deal with violators of the Constitution,\" the
\nPresident said after attending dawn prayer at a mosque near his
\nresidence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Comparing himself to former president Sukarno, who he said
\nfaced the same adversity, Abdurrahman maintained that he would be
\nas \"brave\" as Indonesia's founding president.<\/p>\n
\"At that time, he (Sukarno) talked to the TNI (the Indonesian
\nMilitary) and said: 'Go ahead, you can shoot me because I have
\nbeen chosen by the people,'\" Abdurrahman remarked.<\/p>\n
\"I will follow in his footsteps. I will be no less brave than
\nBung Karno.\"<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is desperately attempting to maintain his
\nbeleaguered presidency. The showdown is expected to climax in
\nAugust when the People's Consultative Assembly convenes a special
\nsession to seek his accountability.<\/p>\n
If his accountability is rejected, the Assembly could revoke
\nthe presidential mandate it gave to Abdurrahman and hand the
\npresidency to Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman reiterated on Sunday that he would accept the
\nconvening of the special session as long as the Assembly did not
\ndemand his accountability.<\/p>\n
\"They can hold the Assembly special session, but it should not
\nbe to ask for my accountability... only if we used the
\nparliamentary system could my accountability be demanded.
\nCurrently we adhere to a presidential system,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"I will remain (in office) until Oct. 5, 2004. I will step
\ndown when the time has come,\" Abdurrahman added.<\/p>\n
The President said he would continue to offer a political
\ncompromise to all parties before the special session, and called
\non other national leaders to be patient in dealing with the
\ncurrent political crisis.<\/p>\n
He revealed that he had ordered his ministers \"to go back and
\nforth to all political leaders\" to seek a compromise.<\/p>\n
\"I call on everybody, including Amien, Mega, Akbar and Hamzah
\nHaz to be patient. In such a political situation disagreements
\nalways occur, so we just have to look on the bright side,\" the
\nPresident said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was referring to Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nGolkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung, United Development Party
\n(PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz and National Mandate Party (PAN)
\nchairman Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
Later in the day Hamzah Haz welcomed the President's remarks,
\nsaying that Abdurrahman had begun to take positive steps toward
\ndealing with the special session and that there was always a
\nchance for compromise.<\/p>\n
\"The President has shown his good intentions. I just hope that
\nhe will be consistent,\" Hamzah said, adding that he is waiting
\nfor the ministers to begin discussing possible political
\ncompromises.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, during the special session we are not going to talk
\nabout problems other than the two financial scandals so it should
\nbe OK. It (the session) is not going to be about the government's
\nperformance,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's alleged involvement in a Rp 35 billion scandal
\ninvolving a foundation at the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and
\na US$2 million \"gift\" from the sultan of Brunei was the catalyst
\nfor the censure process in the House of Representatives, which
\nculminated in the calling of a special session. (dja)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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