Abdurrahman rejects power-sharing proposal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid, who is fighting for
\nhis political survival, rejected a proposal to hand over much of
\nhis power to his deputy Megawati Soekarnoputri, saying such a
\nmove was not provided for in the Constitution, an aide said on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
"The President said that the separation of powers between the
\nhead of state and head of government must be based on the
\nConstitution. If we really want to do that, the Constitution must
\nbe changed first and the amended arrangement could then be
\nimplemented after 2004," presidential spokesman Adhi Massardi
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
"But, the move should not only be motivated by a desire to
\ntopple the President ... the Constitution can't be tampered with
\njust like that simply because Gus Dur is the President," he
\nadded, referring to the President by his nickname.<\/p>\n
Adhi further said that Abdurrahman's election in October 1999
\nwas based on the Constitution in which "a separation of powers
\nbetween the head of state and head of government is virtually
\nunknown."<\/p>\n
"So, the President will stick to it," Adhi said.<\/p>\n
The statement came after House of Representatives Speaker
\nAkbar Tandjung suggested on Thursday that handing more power to
\nMegawati over the day-to-day running of government could be the
\nmiddle way for ending the political bickering over the
\nPresident's fate.<\/p>\n
Akbar said that he would convey the idea of the power-sharing
\narrangement to Abdurrahman if it secured support from the major
\nfactions in the legislature.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman has come under mounting pressure since rejecting
\non Wednesday a House censure over two graft scandals and he faces
\npossible impeachment within months.<\/p>\n
Last August, Abdurrahman promised to delegate administrative
\npower to Megawati, and issued a presidential decree to formalize
\nthe move.<\/p>\n
But aides to Megawati, who is also leader of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle, say he continues to overrule her
\ndecisions, ignoring the arrangement.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, political observer Afan Gaffar from Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity said in Yogyakarta on Saturday that power-sharing
\nbetween Abdurrahman and Vice President Megawati would be the only
\nway to break the current political stalemate.<\/p>\n
"Power sharing would not cause Gus Dur and Nahdlatul Ulama
\n(NU) any loss of face. Gus Dur will remain a President despite
\nthe power-sharing," Affan said after speaking at a seminar on
\nregional autonomy at the Yogyakarta Sheraton Hotel on Saturday.<\/p>\n
According to Affan, the House should urge the President to
\nhand over day-to-day policy-making to Megawati.<\/p>\n
"It would be unethical for Megawati to be proactive in
\nappealing for power-sharing," he argued.<\/p>\n
Such power-sharing must be enshrined in presidential and
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly's decrees. "Thereby, the handover
\nof the President's legal rights to run daily policy-making to
\nVice President Megawati would be clearly regulated."<\/p>\n
He also suggested that Megawati be given the right to form her
\nown cabinet line-up.<\/p>\n
"Gus Dur has no other choice but to accept such an
\narrangement, or the political turmoil will continue. In such a
\nsituation, Gus Dur's statesmanship will be tested ... he should
\naccept this no matter how bitter a pill it may be to swallow."<\/p>\n
Horse-trade<\/p>\n
Contrary to many people's understanding, noted Muslim scholar
\nNurcholish Madjid said that political compromise was not
\nsynonymous with power-sharing.<\/p>\n
He strongly criticized the members of the political elite who
\npromoted power-sharing as constituting a political compromise,
\nsaying that "it is like horse trading and is not a fundamental
\ncompromise."<\/p>\n
According to Nurcholish, political compromise must be aimed at
\nestablishing a joint political platform between the executive and
\nlegislature so as to bring the reform agenda the fruition.<\/p>\n
"After they have a common perception of the reform agenda,
\nthey can then fulfill their own functions. The House must step up
\nits control over the government, which is responsible for
\nimplementing the reform agenda," Nurcholish said before speaking
\nat a seminar on the nation's morality in Jakarta on Saturday.<\/p>\n
"At the last People's Consultative Assembly annual session, we
\ntried to promote a political compromise when we introduced the
\nnotion of a head of state (the President), and a head of
\ngovernment (the Vice President).<\/p>\n
"But I don't think that the scheme is working," Nurcholish
\nsaid regretfully. (byg\/44\/02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/abdurrahman-rejects-power-sharing-proposal-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}