Gus Dur's claim could backfire, observers say<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's claim that many of
\nIndonesia's violent conflicts could be traced to members of the
\nHouse of Representatives or the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) could backfire and cost him political support, observers
\nsay.<\/p>\n
Rather than calming the political situation, the President's
\nremarks, made in Bali on Saturday, would further destabilize the
\ncountry, they said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Bara Hasibuan, deputy secretary-general of the National
\nMandate Party (PAN), said the onus was on the police to prove the
\nPresident's claims.<\/p>\n
\"I regret Gus Dur dropping such a bomb. He should not have
\nsaid it because he has sown even more confusion, not just for the
\npublic but also for law enforcement agencies,\" Bara told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The police must quickly come up with the evidence, he said.<\/p>\n
If his claims are proven true, however, the people would
\nsupport the President's move all the way, he said.<\/p>\n
\"PAN will support him if the remarks were intended to uphold
\nthe law and end the violent unrest sweeping the country,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The President said on Saturday that he had approved requests
\nby the National Police \"to arrest\" a number of legislators
\nbelieved to have been behind many of the conflicts in the
\ncountry, including the sectarian clashes in Maluku.<\/p>\n
As his office backtracked on the statement, insisting that the
\npermission was for the police to question legislators as
\nwitnesses, the President stuck by his statement on Monday, even
\nsetting a July 15 deadline for the police to make the arrests.<\/p>\n
Ichlasul Amal, rector of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta,
\nsaid the President's political standing would plunge if he could
\nnot come up with solid evidence to back up his claim.<\/p>\n
If this was intended to be a political maneuver ahead of the
\nmeeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August,
\n\"this was not an effective one\", Ichlasul said.<\/p>\n
He warned of even more political instability in the run-up to
\nthe August General Session unless the President changed his style
\nand stopped making more controversial statements.<\/p>\n
The President is due to present his progress report to the MPR
\nin August, and some of his staunch critics have warned that the
\nsession could be turned into a process to impeach him.<\/p>\n
Rubiyanto Misman, rector of Jendral Soedirman University in
\nPurwokerto, Central Java, also said that the police must quickly
\ncome up with proof.<\/p>\n
\"The most important thing is to establish the truth. Members
\nof the House or Assembly may have been offended by the statement
\nbut if it is true, the law should be upheld,\" Rubiyanto said.<\/p>\n
Matori Abdul Djalil, MPR deputy chairman from the Nation
\nAwakening Party (PKB), urged the Attorney General's Office to
\nlaunch an immediate investigation in order to end all public
\nspeculation concerning the case.<\/p>\n
\"The attorney general should be responsive to the President's
\nstatement. Launch the investigation and disclose the names of
\nthese persons,\" Matori said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Other House or Assembly members should not feel intimidated by
\nthe President's remarks if they are not guilty, he said, adding
\nthat they should continue to be critical of the President.
\n(44\/45\/dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-durs-claim-could-backfire-observers-say-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}