Factions' moves to hasten special session cool down<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Major political parties begin to display a lack
\nof confidence in their bid to expedite the special session of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Top leaders of Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP)
\nand National Mandate Party (PAN) admitted on Monday there were no
\nstrong reasons to accelerate the session, which was originally
\nscheduled to start on Aug. 1.<\/p>\n
The Assembly has asked President Abdurrahman Wahid to present
\nhis accountability speech during the session.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said his party deemed that the
\noriginal itinerary for the session was likely to remain
\nunchanged.<\/p>\n
\"If there are no actions from the President that violate the
\nState Policy Guidelines, then there is no reason to move forward
\nthe special session,\" Akbar, who is also the House of
\nRepresentatives Speaker, said.<\/p>\n
Akbar asserted that the decision to expedite the special
\nsession was in the hands of the Assembly working committee, which
\nalso holds the authority to supervise the government.<\/p>\n
\"The Assembly working committee must assess the government's
\nperformance and report to the Assembly leaders, before it
\ndiscusses anything about an accelerated special session,\" Akbar
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
PAN chairman and Assembly Speaker Amien Rais reiterated that
\nit was too early to discuss the possibility of speeding up the
\nspecial session, saying that the issue was so far limited to a
\ndiscourse between major political parties.<\/p>\n
\"It (the expedited special session) is too early to
\nmaterialize,\" Amien said, adding there had been no formal talks
\non the matter.<\/p>\n
He admitted, however, that five major factions aired the
\npossibility of accelerating the special session during a recent
\nconsultative meeting between the Assembly working committee and
\nAssembly leaders, but the issue was not discussed.<\/p>\n
Amien said that none of the factions had provided an official
\nletter requesting a hastened special session to the Assembly
\nworking committee.<\/p>\n
\"Let the discussion continue among the parties. If it turns
\nout that the request receives more support then of course the
\nAssembly leadership will not ignore the call,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Leaders of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan), Golkar Party, PPP, PAN and the Crescent Star Party
\n(PBB) have held several meetings to seek a constitutional basis
\nto expedite the special session.<\/p>\n
The President's intention to declare a state of emergency, his
\ndecision to suspend the National Police chief and approval of
\ninvestigation into alleged graft involving his political foes
\nhave sparked the idea of accelerating the MPR special session.<\/p>\n
Assembly decree No.2\/2000 stipulates a minimum two months of
\npreparation for a special session to take place.<\/p>\n
Separately, PPP secretary-general Alimarwan Hanan said that
\nmajor parties no longer discussed the call to expedite the
\nspecial session.<\/p>\n
\"We will leave it to the MPR working committee to decide the
\nright time and agenda of the special session, considering the
\ncurrent developments in the country,\" Alimarwan told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Alimarwan said in the latest meeting between secretary
\ngenerals of the parties on Sunday night, the five major parties
\nagreed to ensure that the special session would end the country's
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
\"We want to make sure that the special session will give a
\npositive solution for everybody, so no one will be disgraced and
\nthe decision can be accepted by the people,\" he further said.<\/p>\n
\"All we want now is a successful special session that could
\nconvene peacefully and honorably,\" Alimarwan added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Ministry of Finance's Director General of Budget
\nAnshari Ritonga said that the government and the House have yet
\nto discuss the budget for the special session.<\/p>\n
\"We have allocated Rp 20 billion to finance the annual
\nsession. When it comes to the special session, we have just
\nagreed on its financial source and not the amount of funds,\"
\nAnshari said as quoted by Antara. (dja)<\/p>",
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