Deal offered as emergency looms<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri continued
\non Friday night to weigh a transfer of power deal proposed by
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid who reportedly threatened to impose a
\nstate of national emergency should impeachment proceedings
\nagainst him proceed.<\/p>\n
As of midnight, Megawati had not officially responded to the
\nPresident's proposition to hand over \"constitutional duties\" to
\nher, made during an afternoon Cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
Vice presidential secretary Bambang Kesowo confirmed on Friday
\nevening that Megawati during the meeting made no decision.<\/p>\n
Bambang, who attended the Cabinet meeting, also revealed that
\nAbdurrahman had mentioned the possibility of declaring a state of
\nemergency.<\/p>\n
Sources said the President warned that a state of emergency
\ndecree could be issued on Saturday morning if no response was
\ngiven by midnight.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nsecretary-general Soetjipto also said Abdurrahman threatened to
\nimpose a state of emergency if the House of Representatives
\npushed through with its intention to call a special session of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
\"In the Cabinet meeting, it was stated that if the parties
\ncontinued with their intention to hold special session then the
\nstate of emergency would be subsequently declared,\" Soetjipto
\nsaid after meeting Megawati at her official residence Friday
\nafternoon.<\/p>\n
When asked about her reaction, Soetjipto said: \"She has yet to
\ndecide anything.\"<\/p>\n
Bambang separately stressed that Megawati had not specifically
\nrejected the offer.<\/p>\n
\"She just said that she could not accept it because she had to
\ncarefully study the idea as the legal aspects were debatable,\"
\nBambang said.<\/p>\n
Bambang pointed out that further clarification was needed on
\ncertain points of the offer.<\/p>\n
\"The delegation of power term will invite lengthy debate over
\nthe constitutional process, moreover there is no clear definition
\nof the scope and substance of the delegation of power,\" Bambang
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
At about midnight PDI Perjuangan secretary-general Pramono
\nAnung, one of the many party executives gathered at the Vice
\nPresident's residence, gave the strongest indication yet of
\nMegawati's likely stance.<\/p>\n
\"We do not recognize compromise outside the constitutional
\nprocess,\" he said adding that the party would pursue the
\nprocedures provided with the House and if necessary a special
\nsession of the Assembly.<\/p>\n
He further revealed that House faction leaders were at the
\nsame time also holding meetings with military top brass.<\/p>\n
Power<\/p>\n
An official of Abdurrahman's National Awakening Party (PKB)
\nsaid late on Friday that the party deplored Megawati's silence on
\nthe President's proposal.<\/p>\n
\"What else does she want? Basically the President has given
\nher everything,\" PKB deputy secretary-general Chotibul Umam
\nWiranu told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Umam then claimed that he had with him the original copy of
\nthe proposal read by Abdurrahman at the Friday afternoon meeting.<\/p>\n
\"I, as President of the Republic of Indonesia, hereby declare
\nthat I will hand over my duties both as head of state and head of
\ngovernment (to the Vice President). The implementation of the
\nduties will be arranged through a presidential decree and it
\ncould be accounted for during the (Assembly) annual session,\"
\nUmam quoted.<\/p>\n
Presidential aides late Friday also denied claims that the
\nPresident had made such a threat.<\/p>\n
Presidential spokesman Yahya C. Staquf said: \"The President
\nprincipally appeals to all parties not to issue statements that
\nwill only worsen the situation,\" Yahya told the Post.<\/p>\n
However the police and military had raised their alert status
\nin anticipation of possible developments.<\/p>\n
By midnight, everyone was playing a waiting game.<\/p>\n
A hastily convened meeting of six faction leaders of the House
\nended without conclusion.<\/p>\n
Golkar Party faction leader Syamsul Mu'arif said they would
\nnot take a decision since Megawati was unlikely to immediately
\nrespond. He added they would also wait and see whether the
\nPresident carried out his threat.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the Assembly also met to discuss the situation.<\/p>\n
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais claimed that Abdurrahman had
\npostponed the deadline for announcing the state of emergency to
\n10 a.m. Saturday.<\/p>\n
He warned that if the president imposed such a condition than
\nit would only hasten the special session.<\/p>\n
Tension levels rose on Friday following an afternoon Cabinet
\nmeeting at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n
About 15 minutes after the meeting began Megawati walked out
\nof the Bina Graha presidential office.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also left the meeting some 20 minutes after
\nMegawati.<\/p>\n
The President later said Megawati had to leave because she had
\nto attend her party's meeting, although Megawati herself went
\nstraight back to her official residence on Jl. Teuku Umar,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who heads a team of seven
\nministers tasked with proposing a political compromise, said
\nduring the meeting ministers also proposed their own power-
\nsharing proposal.<\/p>\n
The proposal consists of a power sharing scheme between the
\nPresident and Vice President, and the formation of a new
\ncoalition Cabinet, similar to the one set up in October 1999.<\/p>\n
He further confirmed that Abdurrahman offered to hand over
\nsome \"constitutional duties\" to Megawati, but that she had asked
\nfor time to study the scheme.<\/p>\n
\"The President is of course waiting for a definite answer from
\nthe Vice President,\" he said adding that Abdurrahman did not
\nprovide details of the proposed power-transfer.<\/p>\n
Citing predictions from military and police intelligence
\nbodies, Susilo ominously warned that \"if the best solution was
\nnot chosen, there could be significant social, political and
\nsecurity disturbances in this country, the cost and risks of
\nwhich would be difficult to overcome.\"<\/p>\n
Susilo then conveyed an appeal from the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI) for a compromise.<\/p>\n
\"Even though the TNI does not want to enter the domain of day-
\nto-day politics, but since the responsibility for security in
\nthis country is in the hands of the TNI and police, they want to
\nhave a peaceful solution,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"(The TNI wants) a political compromise which is rational,
\nconstitutional and not a plot of the moment which only serves
\npersonal interests.\" (byg\/dja\/prb\/45)<\/p>",
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