Dewi, Marwah and Miriam on MPR Special Session<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Presidential spokeswoman Dewi Fortuna Anwar,
\nGolkar legislator Marwah Daud Ibrahim and political professor
\nMiriam Budiardjo may have different views about what justifies
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Special Session.<\/p>\n
However, the three intellectuals shared the same hope that the
\nsession would herald an improvement in the political situation.<\/p>\n
Dewi Fortuna Anwar said it was President B.J. Habibie who took
\nthe initiative and proposed that the Assembly hold a Special
\nSession, although he had the constitutional right to retain his
\nposition until 2003.<\/p>\n
She said the President submitted his plan to Assembly leaders
\nafter he replaced president Soeharto in May in response to the
\npeople's demands for a democratic general election.<\/p>\n
Originally, the session was intended only to decide the date
\nfor the general election next year but Habibie later proposed to
\ninclude other agendas, including a restriction of the
\npresidential term.<\/p>\n
\"The initiative to hold the Special Session came from the
\nPresident himself when he met with legislative leaders only one
\nweek after he assumed the office,\" Dewi said in an interview with
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
One week after replacing president Soeharto on May 21,
\nHabibie went to the House of Representatives to meet
\nHouse\/Assembly Speaker Harmoko. The latter said they agreed that
\nthe MPR would hold a Special Session at the year's end.<\/p>\n
Based on the Constitution, Habibie could maintain his post
\nuntil the presidential term expires in 2003, Dewi said, but
\nconceded that it would go against the people's will if Habibie
\ntried to extend his service using the Constitution as his
\npretext.<\/p>\n
Dewi, a political scientist, denied Habibie just wanted to use
\nthe MPR session to maintain his power, saying he did not have any
\ncontrol over any MPR faction.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Habibie does not have his own political party. He does
\nnot control Golkar because he does not have any official position
\nin Golkar,\" Dewi said. This is in contrast to Habibie's
\npredecessor Soeharto, who was Golkar's chief patron.<\/p>\n
Dewi dismissed allegations that Habibie was too weak to stand
\nup to his former mentor, and said that problems left behind by
\nSoeharto's government were very complex and could not be settled
\novernight.<\/p>\n
\"Let the new government, that is the democratically elected
\none, deal with other residual problems, including the problems of
\nSoeharto,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She said Habibie does ponder his possible reelection next
\nyear.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think he actually wants to serve another term but
\nneither do I think that he will refuse if he is elected as
\npresident because then he will be democratically elected,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"I have talked with him on a number of occasions. For him it
\nis not very important who is the next president because the most
\nimportant thing is that we should have a democratic system,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Marwah Daud Ibrahim, Assembly member of the Golkar faction,
\nbelieved the upcoming session was \"very, very relevant (to the
\ncontinuity of reform). It is better than a revolution, which
\ncould push us to start over from zero if it happens.\"<\/p>\n
Speaking at a discussion here on Friday, she said: \"We just
\nhave to make use of the remaining order. But it will be just too
\nexpensive, won't it, if the session is just set up to reschedule
\nthe poll timetable (from 2002 to 1999)? So, the Assembly Working
\nCommittee has decided on 12 draft decrees to pass.<\/p>\n
\"The 12 decrees reflect the Assembly's efforts to absorb
\nvarious aspirations of the people,\" she said, adding the current
\nAssembly shows \"stark differences\" from the Assembly before
\nSoeharto's downfall.<\/p>\n
Marwah said aspirations varied. Those from the regions, for
\nexample, have been calling for greater provincial autonomy. In
\ncontrast, people who have come directly to the Assembly have
\ndemanded better elections.<\/p>\n
She said the Assembly Working Committee has produced a draft
\ndecree on regional autonomy, which, during Soeharto's regime, was
\nharam (religiously forbidden).<\/p>\n
Miriam Budiardjo, a doyenne of Indonesian political science,
\nsaid: \"I just hope the session proceeds safely, peacefully. That
\nthere will be no riots, as have been rumored, that there will be
\nno bloodshed.<\/p>\n
\"I see a ray of hope that if this session proceeds peacefully,
\nwe will go to a general election, which is most important of all
\nfor our country's political development.<\/p>\n
\"So, let's see if the Assembly can make real this hope. Let's
\nwait and see,\" she said. (prb\/aan)<\/p>",
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