Aborted Cabinet meeting raises eyebrows<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Speculation mounted that all is not well within
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid's administration following a series
\nof mysterious events involving the head of state, Vice President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, the Cabinet as well as the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) leadership on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The President opened a meeting with members of his Cabinet at
\nthe Bina Graha presidential office at around 9 a.m. and left
\nafter 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
Megawati remained behind for another 10 minutes, before she
\ntoo departed. And 10 to 15 minutes later, members of the Cabinet
\ntrooped out one by one.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took the initiative of
\norganizing another meeting with members of the Cabinet at his
\noffice. But that too was aborted after only a few ministers
\nturned up.<\/p>\n
Presidential palace officials were tightlipped about the
\ncontent of meeting and why it was abruptly ended.<\/p>\n
Defense minister Mahfud M.D also untypically refused to say
\nmuch about the meeting, ignoring journalists knocking on his car
\nwindow.<\/p>\n
Conflicting explanations by two top Cabinet ministers only
\nserved to fuel more speculation that something was not right.<\/p>\n
Susilo said the meeting reviewed the political situation in
\nIndonesia, and that he was hoping to continue the discussion with
\nother members of the Cabinet at his office.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli said the
\nmeeting was to discuss revisions to the state budget, and that
\nwas adjourned because of the absence of Minister of Finance
\nPriyadi Praptosuharjo.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting was postponed because the finance minister is
\nill,\" Rizal told journalists after the meeting, which unusually
\nlasted only about 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the President had a working breakfast with some, but
\nnot all, of the top TNI leaders. That meeting raised eyebrows
\nmore for the list of absentees than the list of attendees.<\/p>\n
Present were Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Endriartono Sutarto,
\nNavy Chief of Staff Admiral Indroko Sastrowiryono, Air Force
\nChief of Staff Marshal Hanafie Asnan, and Lt. Gen. Ryamizard
\nRyacudu, the chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command
\n(Kostrad).<\/p>\n
Conspicuously absent were TNI chief Admiral Widodo AS and
\nNational Police chief General Surojo Bimantoro. Widodo, however,
\ntook part in the Cabinet meeting later in the day.<\/p>\n
The President, Vice President and most members of the Cabinet
\nwere present at the installation ceremony for two new deputy
\nchief justices of the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
Relations between Abdurrahman and Megawati have soured since
\nthe House of Representatives issued a second censure motion
\nagainst the President for his alleged leadership failings.<\/p>\n
The motion brought the process of impeachment against the
\nPresident one step closer and should that happen, Megawati would
\nautomatically take over.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
\nwhich is chaired by Megawati, in the meantime has taken the
\ninitiative of organizing a meeting of leaders from all the major
\npolitical parties to explore the possible steps that may be taken
\nfollowing this week's rebuke.<\/p>\n
All the major parties have supported the initiative but PDI
\nPerjuangan has yet to set a date for the meeting.<\/p>\n
The embattled Abdurrahman has resisted pressure to step down
\nand vowed to fight any attempts to unseat him.<\/p>\n
He has, on more than one occasion, broached the possibility of
\ndissolving the House of Representatives, which he has repeatedly
\naccused of acting beyond its authority under Indonesia's
\npresidential system of government.<\/p>\n
Presidential spokesman Adhi Massardi was also caught off-
\nguard, arriving at the Bina Graha only to find that the Cabinet
\nmeeting had been aborted.<\/p>\n
He also refused to comment on the meeting, the first to see
\nboth Abdurrahman and Megawati in attendance since the House
\nrebuked the President for the second time on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"It's beyond my authority to make any comment on that. It's
\nPak Marsilam job,\" Adhi said referring to Cabinet Secretary
\nMarsilam Simanjuntak. (02\/byg\/emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aborted-cabinet-meeting-raises-eyebrows-1447893297",
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