Akbar denies conspiracy to topple government<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
\ndenied on Monday there was a political conspiracy to discredit
\nthe \"axis force\" coalition of political parties and President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who is also Golkar Party chairman, acknowledged there
\nwas criticism of the government from all sides, but he said it
\nwas normal as part of the effort to uphold checks and balances.<\/p>\n
\"The fact that many people, including senior ulemas, have
\ncriticized the President and his policies is absolutely normal in
\na democracy. Not only the House, but the Golkar Party will be
\ncritical of the government. Such criticism should not be seen as
\na political conspiracy to discredit the President,\" he said after
\na House plenary session here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Akbar was commenting on a statement by Minister of the
\nEmpowerment of Women Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who claimed there
\nwas a conspiracy involving several politicians to topple
\nAbdurrahman's government by pitting him against the axis force, a
\nloose affiliation of Muslim-based parties which nominated
\nAbdurrahman for the presidency.<\/p>\n
Rifts were detected in Abdurrahman's relationship with the
\naxis force following the resignation of Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Hamzah Haz, who chairs
\nthe United Development Party, the biggest member of the axis
\nforce.<\/p>\n
Akbar said it would not be easy to topple the President,
\nexcept through illegal means, such as violating the Constitution
\nand the State Policy Guidelines.<\/p>\n
During the plenary session, Tosari Wijaya was sworn in as
\ndeputy House speaker representing PPP in place of Hamzah, who
\nrelinquished his legislative post after being appointed to the
\nCabinet.<\/p>\n
Separately, Ismail Hasan Metareum, chairman of PPP's advisory
\ncouncil, echoed suspicions that a particular group was trying to
\nweaken the axis and discredit the government.<\/p>\n
\"I feel a certain group is trying to undermine the axis force.
\nIt is trying to cripple the axis force and Muslim parties,\"
\nIsmail said on the sidelines of the party's leadership meeting.<\/p>\n
He said the \"attack\" on the axis force could be seen from a
\nprotest recently submitted by the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) over National Mandate Party chairman
\nand People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais' statement
\non federalism.<\/p>\n
Ismail said he believed the attack against the axis force was
\nconducted by certain members of PDI Perjuangan, but was not a
\nconcerted policy of the party.<\/p>\n
PPP executive Zarkasih Nur, who is also state minister of
\ncooperatives, small and medium enterprises, played down the
\nalleged attack against the government and axis force.<\/p>\n
\"I often hold different opinions than my friends. I don't see
\nany attacks from other parties against the axis force,\" Zarkasih
\nsaid in the party's executive meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n
He claimed he was close to ministers from PDI Perjuangan.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Hamzah's resignation from the Cabinet, Zarkasih
\nsaid the President should give two more ministerial positions to
\nPPP if he proceeded with his plan to remove three ministers for
\nalleged past corruption.<\/p>\n
\"PPP should deserve at least two positions in the Cabinet
\nbecause it gained more than 40 House seats in the June general
\nelection,\" Zarkasih said.<\/p>\n
He said PPP secretary-general Ali Marwan Hanan and Tosari fit
\nthe bill for ministerial jobs. (jun\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/akbar-denies-conspiracy-to-topple-government-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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