It's Mega's moment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri could well have been
\nthinking, \"She who laughs last laughs longest,\" as she was sworn
\nin as the country's president on Monday.<\/p>\n
Before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) members who
\nvoted against her in the 1999 presidential election, Megawati
\nvowed to cooperate with all elements of the nation to cope with
\nthe problems the country was facing.<\/p>\n
\"I'm aware of the onerous tasks we must carry out in the
\nfuture and of the necessity of taking immediate and concrete
\naction to defuse the prolonged crisis.<\/p>\n
\"I also realize that I myself will be unable to overcome all
\nof the outstanding problems. Strong discipline and a spirit of
\ncooperation are needed so that we can share the burden. A
\nfavorable political climate is also required to allow the nation
\nto emerge from the crisis,\" said Megawati, who received a
\nstanding ovation from the floor.<\/p>\n
Her election came just a few minutes after the Assembly
\nrevoked the mandate it had given to Abdurrahman Wahid on the
\ngrounds that he had exceeded his authority, particularly by
\nissuing a decree suspending the Assembly and the House of
\nRepresentatives in the early hours of Monday.<\/p>\n
All 591 lawmakers from the nine political party factions that
\nsupported the snap special session voted for the ousting of Gus
\nDur, as Abdurrahman is familiarly known, and the appointment of
\nMegawati as the new president.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the fact that the factions have rejected the
\nissuance by President Abdurrahman Wahid of a decree declaring a
\nstate of emergency and its political consequences as provided for
\nby Chapter 8 of the 1945 Constitution, MPR Decrees No. 3\/1978 and
\nNo. 2\/2000, Abdurrahman Wahid has been removed from office in
\nmidterm as he is truly guilty of having contravened the
\nConstitution; and Megawati is hereby appointed as the new
\npresident of the Republic of Indonesia,\" said Assembly Speaker
\nAmien Rais, who presided over the special session.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military\/National Police faction adopted an
\nunusually overt stance opposing the presidential decree. Vice
\nAdmiral Ronggo Sunarso, spokesman for the faction, said both the
\nmilitary and the police were united in supporting the Assembly's
\nrejection of the decree and calling for Gus Dur's ouster.<\/p>\n
The Assembly resorted to voting on all of its decisions
\nbecause of the absence of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and
\nLove the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB) factions at the special
\nsession as required by the Assembly's standing orders.<\/p>\n
To show that its stance in opposing the special session had
\nnot changed, the PKB announced its refusal to recognize
\nMegawati's elevation to the presidency.<\/p>\n
\"The PKB rejects all of the results of the MPR special
\nsession,\" PKB deputy secretary-general Chotibul Umam Wiranu said
\nduring a media conference at the PKB secretariat in Kuningan,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Following Gus Dur's ouster, Amien handed the Assembly's
\ndecision to Megawati and then the Assembly heard Megawati take
\nthe presidential oath of office in the presence of foreign
\ndiplomats.<\/p>\n
In taking the presidential oath, Megawati, who was dressed in
\na white and purple kebaya (traditional attire), pledged she would
\ncomply with the Constitution in running her government.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers shook hands with each other while several from the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nsupporting Megawati shouted Allahhu Akbar (God is Great).<\/p>\n
Taufik Kiemas, Megawati's husband, bowed his head and shed
\ntears upon witnessing his wife's appointment as the new
\npresident.<\/p>\n
In her maiden press conference as President at the vice
\npresidential office, Megawati said Gus Dur's cabinet was
\nsuspended as of Tuesday but that all ministers should continue to
\ncarry out their tasks but avoid making crucial decisions until
\nshe had formed a new cabinet in a few days time.<\/p>\n
\"I will announce the cabinet ministers within the next few
\ndays and at the same time I will announce the work program of the
\ncabinet,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Departing from the original arrangements, Megawati refused to
\nhold a question-and-answer session with the hordes of expectant
\njournalists.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers hailed Megawati's appointment as the new President,
\nexpressing the hope that she could lead the nation based upon
\nclose cooperation with all of the political parties so as to form
\nan effective government and overcome the political and economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
Dimyati Hartono, an outspoken legislator from the PDI
\nPerjuangan, stated that the special session was constitutional
\nand Megawati's appointment legitimate as the motions concerned
\nhad been supported by two thirds of the 700-member MPR.<\/p>\n
\"All sides, including former president Gus Dur, should accept
\nthe Assembly's decision as the special session was supported by
\nthe majority of lawmakers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He called on Megawati to be consistent with her pledge to
\ncooperate with other parties so that her government could survive
\nuntil 2004.<\/p>\n
Bomer Pasaribu, deputy secretary-general of Golkar, said
\nMegawati should learn from her predecessor's experience in
\nforming her cabinet so as to ensure her position until 2004 and
\nto achieve major advances over the next 100 days.<\/p>\n
\"We have seen that she won the full support of the Assembly.
\nThis means that all of the factions are hoping she will
\nsuccessfully lead the nation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Kwik Kian Gie, former coordinating minister for the economy,
\ncalled on Megawati to form a coalition cabinet to win the support
\nof the political parties in the legislature.<\/p>\n
\"It must be a coalition cabinet, but I am not sure whether it
\nwill be 100 percent or not. But, I hope that it represents all
\npower elements, at least until 2004,\" Kwik said.<\/p>\n
Agum Gumelar, Gus Dur's coordinating minister for political,
\nsocial and security affairs, said he accepted all the decisions
\nthe Assembly had made during the special session.<\/p>\n
\"And I will support the new government that emerges from the
\nspecial session,\" he remarked at the legislative complex before
\nattending the session.<\/p>\n
The special session, previously scheduled for Aug. 1, 2001,
\nwas brought forward following the appointment by Gus Dur last
\nFriday of Com. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail as acting chief of the
\nNational Police without the approval of the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Besides going against MPR Decree No. 7\/2000 that requires
\nHouse approval for the appointment of police and military
\ncommanders, the President's move was criticized as increasing
\ntensions within the police force. (rms\/dja)<\/p>",
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