Bina Graha prepares for interpellation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Presidential aides made last minute preparations
\nand adjustments on Wednesday for Presidential Abdurrahman Wahid's
\ninterpellation face-off with the House of Representatives on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
There are conflicting reports that Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri will accompany the President and read his official
\nwritten response to the plenary session of the 500 member House.<\/p>\n
This move may be due to Abdurrahman's vision problem, but it
\ncould also dramatically pacify criticism against the President as
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nlegislators were prime sponsors of the interpellation motion.<\/p>\n
Megawati chairs the party and even instructed party
\nlegislators on Tuesday to go easy on the President.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Kwik
\nKian Gie on Wednesday said the President would make a brief
\nopening remark before asking the Vice President to read out his
\nofficial response on the sacking of two Cabinet ministers in
\nApril.<\/p>\n
\"The President will talk for three to five minutes, then the
\nVice President will read the speech,\" Kwik said after attending a
\nweekly Cabinet meeting at Bina Graha presidential office where
\npreparations for the interpellation were discussed at length.<\/p>\n
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and Minister
\nof Cooperatives Zarkasih Nur confirmed that Megawati would read
\nthe official statement.<\/p>\n
However, Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak merely said it
\nwas still being discussed, conceding that one of Abdurrahman's
\naides would read the speech.<\/p>\n
However, a senior official, who also attended the Wednesday
\nCabinet meeting, revealed that there was still a debate over the
\nissue, particularly since the President has said he would like to
\nstress in the written reply that the interpellation motion was
\nunconstitutional.<\/p>\n
The official, who asked not to be named, said the vice
\npresident might refuse to read the written reply if the President
\nis insistent his opinion is included.<\/p>\n
Sources said Abdurrahman believes the interpellation is
\nunconstitutional because such a motion was only known during the
\nIndonesian parliamentary system in the 1950s.<\/p>\n
By about 1 p.m., after about three-hours of meetings, sources
\ntold The Jakarta Post that they still had not been able to
\nconvince Abdurrahman to soften his controversial stance over the
\nissue.<\/p>\n
\"We hope the President will finally agree to drop that
\nstatement because such a remark is not only unwise but will also
\nbackfire against him,\" the official said.<\/p>\n
The House, in an overwhelming vote, decided to summon the
\nPresident to personally explain his reasons for firing Laksamana
\nSukardi as state minister of investment and state enterprises
\ndevelopment, and Yusuf Kalla as minister of industry and trade.
\nLaksamana and Yusuf were seen as representing Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar in the
\nCabinet.<\/p>\n
Out of 500 House members, 332 supported the motion. Members of
\nthe National Awakening Party (PKB), which was co-founded by
\nAbdurrahman, were the main objectors while the 34-strong
\nIndonesian Military\/Police faction abstained.<\/p>\n
In a closed-door meeting with the House shortly after the
\nsacking of Laksamana and Yusuf in April, the President insisted
\nthe two ministers were involved in corruption, collusion and
\nnepotism (KKN) practices.<\/p>\n
Both Laksamana and Yusuf have categorically denied the
\nallegations and threatened to file lawsuits against the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
Separately, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said legislators'
\nreactions on Thursday would depend on the President's response.<\/p>\n
\"The President's remarks will be discussed through the DPR
\nmechanism, and the result of the discussion will become DPR's
\nofficial position,\" said Akbar on the sidelines of a Golkar
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
The PDI Perjuangan faction, the largest in the House,
\nmaintained that they would remain critical.<\/p>\n
\"We will still be firm but will not overreact as instructed by
\nMbak Mega,\" faction secretary Heri Ahmadi said.<\/p>\n
He noted that the interpellation motion was aimed at reminding
\nAbdurrahman of his inconsistent statements over the dismissal of
\nhis two economic ministers.<\/p>\n
The party's deputy chairman Meliono Suwondo said the faction
\nwould consider the problem settled if Abdurrahman apologizes and
\nretracts his allegations of corruption against Laksamana and
\nYusuf.<\/p>\n
\"We hope Gus Dur's answer will clear the air and calm
\npolitical tension,\" Meliono said.<\/p>\n
Outspoken Golkar legislator Ekky Syahrudin urged the President
\nto directly answer questions during the scheduled three hour-
\nsession.<\/p>\n
According to Ekky, the President must give concrete evidence
\nto prove his allegations.(prb\/jun\/dja\/byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bina-graha-prepares-for-interpellation-1447893297",
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