'Gus Dur to resign if proven guilty'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid is prepared to
\nresign if proven to have violated the Constitution, defense
\nminister Mahfud M.D. said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"The President does not object to being criticized, being
\ncensured or even being asked to resign if the move is
\nconstitutionally right,\" Mahfud said, quoting Abdurrahman's reply
\nto the House of Representatives (DPR) censure for the President's
\nalleged involvement in two financial scandals.<\/p>\n
Mahfud was speaking after a breakfast meeting between
\nAbdurrahman, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Coordinating
\nMinister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono, Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Adm.
\nWidodo A.S., National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro and the
\nthree military chiefs of staff.<\/p>\n
However, presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar later said that
\n\"there has been no indication at all that the President intends
\nto resign\".<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters at Merdeka Palace, Wimar said that
\nAbdurrahman remained committed to serving out his term until
\n2004.<\/p>\n
He also said that Abdurrahman's reply to the House of
\nRepresentatives' censure would be read out before the legislators
\nby one of the ministers.<\/p>\n
\"The next Cabinet meeting on March 29 will discuss who will
\nread out the President's response ... it could be anyone, even
\nthe Vice President,\" Wimar said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said on Tuesday that his reply to the DPR's
\nmemorandum of censure would be ready by the end of March.<\/p>\n
The DPR censured Abdurrahman on Feb. 1 after a special
\ncommittee probing the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and Brunei
\nfinancial scandals found that the President may have played a
\nrole in them.<\/p>\n
The Bulog scandal centered on the disbursement of Rp 35
\nbillion (US$3.5 million) belonging to Bulog employees'
\nfoundation, while the Brunei affair was the alleged misuse of a
\n$2 million donation from the sultan of Brunei.<\/p>\n
Mahfud said earlier in the week that in the President's
\nresponse to the House censure, Abdurrahman plans to deny all
\nallegations of his involvement in the two scandals.<\/p>\n
Mahfud and Susilo have been assigned to prepare the answers
\nfor the President.<\/p>\n
Separately, the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the
\nHouse of Representatives questioned a legislator's action of
\nreleasing to the media a Bruneian political party's official
\nletter to the House in its response to the party's newly
\npublished white book on the Bulog and Brunei scandals.<\/p>\n
\"We are surprised that (legislator) Alvin Lie has disseminated
\ncopies of the letter for House Speaker Akbar Tandjung. We also
\nquestion his motive behind the action,\" Ali As'ad, who chaired
\nthe team that wrote the book, said at a news conference here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Alvin, a critic of President Abdurrahman Wahid, was a member
\nof the House's special committee that investigated the two
\nscandals.<\/p>\n
The Brunei Solidarity National Party (PPKB) sent a letter
\nsigned by its chairman, Muhammad Hatta bin Zainal Abidin, to the
\nHouse speaker to clarify that the $2 million in question
\nwas not alms from the Brunei government but financial assistance
\nfrom the Brunei royal family, a statement the PKB faction
\nrejected.<\/p>\n
Ali said the money was alms from the Brunei royal family who
\nchose not to speak about it in accordance with Islamic tradition.<\/p>\n
\"The Brunei royal family has remained silent about the
\nfinancial assistance because it was earmarked as alms and could
\nnot speak about it to others in line with Muslim tradition,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The House issued a memorandum of censure to the President
\nearly last month concerning the two scandals. (02\/byg\/rms)<\/p>",
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