Amien backs off from call for early special session<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien
\nRais on Thursday said he would end his calls for an expedited
\nspecial Assembly session and adhere to the proper Constitutional
\nroute of issuing three memorandums before proposing such a
\nsession.<\/p>\n
Amien admitted that despite his personal preference, \"there
\nwas no constitutional basis on which to speed up the special
\nsession.\"<\/p>\n
He further indicated that the likelihood of issuing a second
\nmemorandum was very high given that so far there has been no sign
\nof improvement in Abdurrahman's management, especially in view of
\nthe most recent bloody episode in Sampit, Central Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
\"We have the Sampit problem which claimed many lives. How can
\nhe say that it was nothing? Or the continuing downward slope of
\nthe rupiah which is a sign that our economy is in bad shape,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"There has been no improvement at all,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The House issued a memorandum on Feb. 1 following discussion
\nof the report about his alleged link to two financial scandals.<\/p>\n
The President has three months to respond before the House can
\nissue a second memorandum, to which he has a further month to
\nrespond.<\/p>\n
A third memorandum can be issued after that and the House can
\npropose that a special session be held to discuss the possibility
\nof impeachment.<\/p>\n
In his now customary defiance of Abdurrahman, Amien on
\nThursday still suggested that \"Gus Dur resign from office.\"<\/p>\n
\"Resigning will be the cheapest and most elegant way as he
\nwill still be considered a great leader for admitting his
\nmistakes,\" Amien remarked.<\/p>\n
Process<\/p>\n
Pressure on Abdurrahman to step down and support for Vice
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri to succeed him has grown in
\nrecent weeks.<\/p>\n
The most emphatic support came from Muslim-based parties,
\nwhich recently reversed their previously held position by
\nasserting that a woman can now be President.<\/p>\n
Crescent Star Party (PBB) Chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra met
\nwith Megawati here on Thursday to assert this stance.<\/p>\n
\"I answered Megawati when she asked whether her gender would
\nbe a problem, and I said there has been a major change among
\nMuslims. PBB never felt it would be a problem to have a woman as
\nPresident,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Yusril, Megawati also said during the meeting
\nthat any attempts to convene a special Assembly session must be
\nconducted in accordance with the constitutional process.<\/p>\n
\"So, let it proceed like this,\" Yusril quoted Megawati as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Yogyakarta political observer Andi A.
\nMallarangeng also on Thursday urged Abdurrahman to resign, saying
\nthat it will be the least precarious way of achieving a change in
\nthe national leadership.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur should resign because this would be the cheapest way
\nof achieving a leadership change,\" he told reporters here after
\nspeaking at a national conference on geothermal energy potential.<\/p>\n
\"If he refuses to resign voluntarily, a constitutional way
\nwill be taken to impeach him because he is not even supported any
\nmore by Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan),\" he added.<\/p>\n
He said that the President's \"whisperers\" should tell him the
\npolitical reality that his political support is weak.<\/p>\n
\"I think his whisperers always give Gus Dur the wrong
\ninformation, which is why he's so confident over the support for
\nMegawati,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Andi said constitutionally Megawati is the most appropriate
\nsuccessor, although there is no guarantee that Megawati's
\nadministration would last till 2004.<\/p>\n
\"But we have no other choice. With Gus Dur, we have no hope,\"
\nhe said.(44\/dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/amien-backs-off-from-call-for-early-special-session-1447893297",
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