Assembly leaves special session decision to House<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on
\nTuesday passed the ball back to the House of Representatives
\n(DPR) with regard to the possibility of expediting a Special
\nSession of the Assembly, citing that \"the MPR cannot take the
\ninitiative based upon inadequate legal grounds.\"<\/p>\n
\"Though this nation is facing crucial problems and critical
\nmoments in almost all areas, a Special Session cannot be brought
\nforward as we still have not found the grounds for doing so,\"
\nAssembly Speaker Amien Rais said as quoted by Antara after a
\nmeeting of the Assembly leadership that was held in the absence
\nof MPR deputy speaker Ginandjar Kartasasmita.<\/p>\n
\"I understand that the students who are demanding a Special
\nSession will be disappointed ... but since we are sticking to the
\nmemorandum of censure process, which is a matter for the House,
\nwe have to be patient.<\/p>\n
\"This will create political, social and economic uncertainty
\nas the process is quite long. We have to wait for the issuing of
\nthe second memorandum of censure before we can talk about a
\nSpecial Session,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He said the Assembly leadership meeting discussed three
\ntopics, namely the memorandum, the Special Session and the
\ndemands for President Abdurrahman Wahid to resign.<\/p>\n
\"But we can forget about the last option as there's no sign of
\nGus Dur resigning,\" Amien said, referring to Abdurrahman by his
\nnickname.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Nov. 11, 2000 Caucus, a forum of legislators
\nfrom all factions except for the National Awakening Party (PKB)
\nand the Indonesian Military\/Police, asked the Assembly to quickly
\nhold a Special Session to replace the nation's leader.<\/p>\n
\"A Special Session is the best option for saving the nation.
\nThe various disturbances such as the latest in Sampit and
\nPalangkaraya (in Central Kalimantan) are signs of the country
\nbreaking apart,\" forum spokesman Kwik Kian Gie of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) told a media
\nbriefing on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, political observer Siswono Yudohusodo said on
\nTuesday that Abdurrahman's \"poor performance and lack of a sense
\nof crisis\" had resulted in a counterproductive administration.<\/p>\n
\"He brought these problems on himself. I feel pity for him.<\/p>\n
\"And those who elected him as President in October 1999 must
\nbe held responsible. But I see no other way to get out of this
\ncrisis except for him to resign gracefully and for (Vice
\nPresident) Megawati Soekarnoputri to step in and rule until
\n2004,\" Siswono told the media after a discussion held by the
\nIndonesian Muslim Students' Alumni Association (KAHMI) here.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the PKB launched a campaign demanding that Amien
\nRais act properly in accordance with his office. Otherwise,
\naccording to the PKB, he should resign.<\/p>\n
\"We demand that Amien Rais as Assembly Speaker act
\nconstitutionally and stop behaving like a provocateur,\" PKB
\nsecretary-general Muhaimin Iskandar told the media, while
\naccusing Amien of being behind the students' anti-Gus Dur
\nprotests.<\/p>\n
Also in Jakarta, Coordinating Minister for Political, Social
\nand Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Tuesday
\nthat the government would not rush to impose a state of emergency
\nin the capital.<\/p>\n
\"A state of emergency will only be declared if the government
\nis no longer able to govern,\" Susilo told a media conference.<\/p>\n
\"What happened in Jakarta yesterday (Monday) doesn't reflect
\nthe real situation in Indonesia. Therefore, it is unnecessary to
\ndeclare a state of emergency,\" Susilo said referring to Monday's
\nmassive rally organized by the Students' Executive Boards (BEMs)
\nat the Merdeka Palace compound.<\/p>\n
In response to the students' demand that the holding of a
\nSpecial Session be brought forward, Susilo said it was not his
\njob to comment on the matter.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Rear Marshall
\nGraito Usodo said that TNI headquarters was content to let the
\nexisting constitutional mechanisms run their course.<\/p>\n
Graito dismissed claims that several regions in Indonesia
\nwould demand independence if President Abdurrahman were to
\nresign.<\/p>\n
\"No, I haven't heard any such demands (for independence),\"
\nGraito told a media conference at TNI headquarters in Cilangkap,
\nEast Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, deputy secretary general of the Nahdlatul Ulama
\n(NU) Muslim organization Masduki Baidlawi said the President's
\nstatement that some regions would declare independence if he were
\nto resign should not be misinterpreted as promoting separatism.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur is a figure who unequivocally supports the nation's
\nintegrity.<\/p>\n
\"The statement was merely designed to show people that he
\nstill has many supporters,\" Masduki told The Jakarta Post by
\nphone. (edt\/02)<\/p>",
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