Gus Dur must 'resign or be impeached'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The nation will only evade ruin resulting from
\nthe prolonged economic and political crises and the threat of
\ndisintegration if President Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid steps
\ndown, legislators concluded on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The lawmakers, who attended an informal meeting sponsored by
\nformer coordinating minister for economy, finance and industry
\nKwik Kian Gie, offered the President two ways to exit:
\nresignation or impeachment through constitutional means.<\/p>\n
They also asked for Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
\nreadiness to step into the number one position.<\/p>\n
Sutradara Gintings of the Indonesian Unity and Nationhood
\nfaction at the House of Representatives said the present
\ngovernment's biggest failure was the fact that it could no longer
\nguarantee a feeling of security among the people. He said there
\nwas an absence of public confidence in the government.<\/p>\n
\"We are now in a 'governmentless' situation and on the verge
\nof collapse,\" he said in his address to some 200 House and
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) legislators in a meeting
\nhall at Niaga Tower on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The country, he said, is in a state of crisis as bloody
\nviolence in several provinces and economic and political
\ninstability continue unabated. These have forced the nation to
\nchoose between survival and developing a democratic system.<\/p>\n
\"It is useless to continue our efforts to build a democratic
\nsystem while facing disintegration,\" Sutradara said, referring to
\nthe rampant violence in Aceh, Maluku, North Maluku and Irian
\nJaya.<\/p>\n
The former Golkar legislator said he was particularly
\ndisappointed with the President's failure to fulfill his promise
\nto implement the 2000 MPR decree on the delegation of the day-to-
\nday government tasks to Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"The President has issued a decree, which gives only clerical
\njobs to the Vice President while maintaining his domination over
\nthe administration,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another legislator, Asnawi Latief, called on the legislators
\nto issue a political recommendation for the legislative body to
\ncall for an MPR special session to impeach the President because
\nof the way Gus Dur leads the nation.<\/p>\n
\"If the President declines to step down, he should be forced
\nto do so through an MPR special session,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He conceded that the present situation was a collective
\nmistake committed by factions at the Assembly, which elected
\nAbdurrahman as president last year.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), the moderator of the discussion,
\naccepted that all were to blame for \"the collective sin\" even
\nthough his faction's members voted for Megawati, not Gus Dur.<\/p>\n
MPR legislator Theo Sambuaga of Golkar concurred. He said the
\nHouse should call for a special session to impeach Gus Dur
\nbecause of his inability to implement the 1999 State Policy
\nGuidelines and solve numerous major problems facing the country.<\/p>\n
He said he appreciated the growing calls for the President's
\nresignation but insisted \"it would be better to press him (Gus
\nDur) to step down through constitutional means.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bachtiar Chamsyah of the United Development Party
\n(PPP) faction called on political parties to stay alert to the
\npossibility of political maneuvers by the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI) at such a crunching time for the nation.<\/p>\n
\"Political parties must stand united to ensure TNI is left out
\nof the national political arena,\" he said.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung and legislators representing the
\nTNI and National Awakening Party (PKB) factions were absent from
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
Alvin Lie, a member of the Reform faction, asked attendants to
\nseek Megawati's confirmation of her readiness for the top post.<\/p>\n
\"I'm optimistic Indonesia will be able to defuse the crisis
\nprovided Megawati does not make mistakes similar to the ones Gus
\nDur has made,\" he said, adding that all parties could cooperate
\nto support Megawati if she was ready to be president.<\/p>\n
The Reform faction, under the leadership of MPR Speaker Amien
\nRais, masterminded the nomination of Abdurrahman at Megawati's
\nexpense in last year's presidential election.<\/p>\n
Many other legislators also questioned whether Megawati was
\nready to take over, drawing a positive response from PDI
\nPerjuangan legislators.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo confirmed Megawati was ready and capable.<\/p>\n
\"Certainly, Megawati is ready for it and will be able to do
\nthe presidential tasks,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Megawati ordered recently all PDI Perjuangan members to
\nsupport the present government until the end of its term in 2004.
\n(rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-must-resign-or-be-impeached-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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