Compromise fading, leaders talk tough<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Hopes for a compromise to ease the ongoing
\npolitical impasse began to wear down on Tuesday, as political
\nleaders hardened their tone and altered their focus toward
\nimpeachment.<\/p>\n
Key figures such as President Abdurrahman Wahid, Vice
\nPresident Megawati and House of Representatives speaker Akbar
\nTandjung displayed on Tuesday no hint that a deal was at hand.<\/p>\n
Members of the team of seven ministers, tasked with
\nnegotiating a compromise, kept a low profile on Tuesday with one
\nminister even conceding a split between Abdurrahman and Megawati.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, who had been adamant that he would not resign
\nfrom the presidency, openly discussed, for the first time, the
\nprospect of impeachment.<\/p>\n
The President charged that he would run for reelection as
\npresident in 2004 if he was removed in a special session of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
\"If, as a consequence, a special session to impeach the
\nPresident must be held, then let it go ahead, I'm not afraid of
\nthat,\" Abdurrahman told an audience at the National Resilience
\nInstitute at Bina Graha presidential office.<\/p>\n
Forebodingly, Abdurrahman warned that he would promptly launch
\na reelection offensive if he were to be \"humiliated\".<\/p>\n
\"If that happens, I will campaign immediately for reelection
\nat the next election because I will have been publicly
\nhumiliated,\" he said without elaborating on his \"reelection
\ncampaign\" tactics.<\/p>\n
He further warned he was not \"bluffing\" when he said that
\nseveral provinces would proclaim independence if he was removed.<\/p>\n
He added that the number of provinces threatening to break
\naway had risen from five to six.<\/p>\n
\"So, it's not that I don't want to resign,\" the President
\nsaid, adding that this must be taken into consideration.<\/p>\n
It was unclear, however, what prompted Abdurrahman to issue
\nsuch a statement.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Megawati, during a rally in Pekanbaru, Riau,
\nattended by thousands of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan), led a chorus which clearly spelt out the
\nparty's intentions.<\/p>\n
She rallied the crowd with three simple questions:<\/p>\n
\"Do you want an expedited election?\" Megawati asked the crowd.<\/p>\n
\"No,\" the sea of red supporters replied.<\/p>\n
\"Do you, in accordance with the results of the PDI Perjuangan
\ncongress in Bali, want Megawati Soekarnoputri to become president
\nthrough constitutional means?\"<\/p>\n
\"Yes!\"<\/p>\n
Megawati flashed a big smile.<\/p>\n
Finally, asking them whether a PDI Perjuangan cadre would
\nresort to violence? The crowd responded \"no\".<\/p>\n
Split<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman has till the end of the month to respond to a
\nmemorandum of censure issued by the House after which a special
\nsession of the Assembly can be called to seek his accountability.<\/p>\n
A small team of Cabinet ministers, under the stewardship of
\nCoordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono have been trying to formulate a deal
\nwhich would enable a greater delegation of executive power to the
\nVice President and secure Abdurrahman's role as head of state.<\/p>\n
It is unclear whether Tuesday's hardened statements may be a
\nharbinger on the fate of the compromise or merely political
\nactors posturing in order to raise the negotiation stakes.<\/p>\n
What was clear was that on his return from Thailand, on
\nTuesday morning, not a single minister was present at the airport
\nto greet the President. Only the National Police chief, the
\nIndonesian Military chief and the head of the State Intelligence
\nCoordinating Board were present.<\/p>\n
House speaker Akbar Tandjung, who in the past has taken a more
\nconservative line, changed his tone altogether on Tuesday saying
\nthat if a special session was convened it would be to ask for an
\nassessment of the President's accountability, which, in all
\nlikelihood, would be rejected.<\/p>\n
\"When it is rejected there is no other solution other than the
\nreplacement of the national leader...The Vice President will
\nbecome the president,\" Akbar remarked.<\/p>\n
\"We all know that most of the Assembly members are House
\nmembers so the conclusion will be the same,\" he added.<\/p>\n
All 500 House members are also members of the 700-seat
\nAssembly.<\/p>\n
He still, however, left a small window of hope ajar, implying
\nthat a political compromise may yet save the presidency.<\/p>\n
The only other option would be resignation, Akbar remarked.<\/p>\n
\"Whatever it is, it must be decided before the House plenary
\nsession at the end of this month,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The transfer of authority and a Cabinet reshuffle, under the
\nmanagement of Ibu Megawati, would be a low-cost solution for the
\ncountry that we are trying to offer,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense Mahfud MD, a member of the team of seven
\nministers, also admitted that Abdurrahman and Megawati are no
\nlonger united.<\/p>\n
He added that the Cabinet dearly wished to see the pair united
\nagain and working together: \"We (ministers) admit the two leaders
\nare split, we're worried about polarization at the community
\nlevel.\" (dja\/byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/compromise-fading-leaders-talk-tough-1447893297",
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