Golkar not out for special session: Akbar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung reiterated
\non Friday his party had no intention of changing the Annual
\nSession of the People's Consultative Assembly to a special
\nsession which could impeach the President.<\/p>\n
"We are not of a mind to change the Annual Session to a
\nspecial session," Akbar, who also is speaker of the House of
\nRepresentatives, said when discussing his party's position ahead
\nof Monday's start to the Annual Session.<\/p>\n
He said the Assembly would listen to and evaluate the progress
\nreports by President Abdurrahman Wahid, the House and other state
\ninstitutions.<\/p>\n
Akbar said Golkar Party's evaluations would be aimed at
\nimproving the performance of the government.<\/p>\n
On the country's economic recovery, he said his party would
\nhighlight that the state of the economy still left much to be
\ndesired.<\/p>\n
"Although the fundamental economics and economic growth show
\nimprovement, we still think the economy has yet to really begin
\nits recovery since the improvements were only triggered by the
\nconsumer sector," he said.<\/p>\n
He said Golkar also would underline the President's
\ncontroversial style of leadership during the session. However, he
\nsaid the party would not bring up the Bulog and Brunei scandals
\nbecause they already were discussed in the House.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the spate of violence targeting Golkar Party and
\nits supporters, such as the burning of party flags, Akbar said
\nthe party would go through legal channels to settle the problem.<\/p>\n
He said demands that Golkar Party, which was used by former
\nauthoritarian president Soeharto as his political vehicle, be
\nbanned were undemocratic.<\/p>\n
"People cannot ignore that we secured a significant number of
\nvotes during last year's general election," he remarked.<\/p>\n
Separately, dozens of students from Gen. Soedirman University
\nand the Purwokerto Islamic Institute staged a rally in
\nPurwokerto, Central Java, to condemn Golkar. During the rally on
\nFriday, a number of protesters burned the party's yellow flag.<\/p>\n
"We should be aware of Golkar and its cronies, which are
\ntrying to return to power," rally coordinator Uyi said in a
\nspeech.<\/p>\n
The students marched along a five-kilometer route from their
\ncampuses to the city square, unfurling banners condemning Golkar
\nduring the four-hour rally.(45\/jun)<\/p>",
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