Legislators slam Gus Dur's response to memorandum<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): \"Unsatisfactory\" and \"rhetorical\" were some of
\nthe unfavorable responses from legislators to President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid's reply to the House of Representatives'
\nmemorandum of censure.<\/p>\n
The general feeling among most legislators on Wednesday was
\nthat, no matter how passionate the President's plea for
\nlegislators not to approve a second memorandum, it would only be
\na matter of time before one was issued.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nSecretary General Sutjipto said the President's speech was
\nnothing more than \"meaningless rhetoric\".<\/p>\n
Sutjipto, who is also the PDI Perjuangan faction's deputy
\nchairman at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), also
\ndecried the President's continued resistance to accept the
\nvalidity of the House's investigation into the financial
\nscandals.<\/p>\n
Syamsul Muarif, chairman of the Golkar Party faction, warned
\nthat the President's reply only encouraged House factions to
\npress ahead with the second memorandum.<\/p>\n
\"Besides being unsatisfactory, the President's response did
\nnot address his alleged involvement in the disbursement of the Rp
\n35 billion in Bulog foundation funds,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The influence of these two factions will be essential if the
\nHouse decides to issue a second memorandum.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan occupies 153 seats in the 500-seat House, while
\nGolkar has 120 seats.<\/p>\n
Separately, senior legislators attending a meeting of Jakarta-
\nbased newspapers' chief editors, known as The Editors' Club, also
\nregretted Abdurrahman's decision to avoid a response to the
\nalleged scandal.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan legislator Julius Usman told the gathering on
\nWednesday evening that the issue would only be settled if \"the
\nAssembly holds a special session\".<\/p>\n
The meeting brought together legislators and activists who are
\nmembers of the Nov. 11, 2000 Caucus, a combination of political
\nfigures involved in an information-sharing cooperative.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the United Development Party (PPP) Ali
\nMarwan Hanan also believes that conflict between the executive
\nand legislature will drag on until a special session is held.<\/p>\n
\"The only constitutional forum to invoke the President's
\naccountability is an Assembly special session,\" Ali insisted.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Budi Harsono, chairman of the Indonesian
\nMilitary\/National Police faction, said he heard nothing new or
\nextraordinary in the President's response, but remained aloof as
\nto how the influential faction would react.<\/p>\n
\"It will be taken into consideration by the faction in
\ndetermining its political stance as to whether a second
\nmemorandum is necessary,\" he said.<\/p>\n
PPP's Bachtiar Chamsyah, who headed the now disbanded special
\ncommittee which investigated the scandals, said the lack of
\nsubstance in the response showed that the President is not
\ncommitted to improving the government's performance.<\/p>\n
\"The plenary session is not a forum to question the
\ninvestigation's procedures,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hatta Radjasa, chairman of the Reform faction, was facile in
\nhis comment: \"A second memorandum may be inevitable.\"<\/p>\n
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said factions would deliberate
\nthe President' speech and present their response in a plenary
\nsession on Friday as to whether a second memorandum would be
\nissued.<\/p>\n
Akbar went on to praise the President's willingness to
\npublicly apologize, saying Abdurrahman's \"positive attitude shows
\nhis recognition that he is still human\".<\/p>\n
Ali Masykur Moesa from the National Awakening Party (PKB) said
\nthat his faction was ready to discuss the President's response
\nand will appraise it in accordance with constitutional standards.<\/p>\n
Separately, Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo, chief of the Indonesian
\nMilitary's Territorial Affairs, was more positive about the
\nPresident's reply.<\/p>\n
Agus told The Jakarta Post at his office in the TNI
\nheadquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, that the reply was a
\nstarting point for reconciliation.<\/p>\n
When pressed on the TNI\/Police faction's stance, Agus only
\nsaid that it should not be trapped in a battle to make certain
\npolitical powers victorious.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Semarang, Central Java, political observer Arbi
\nSanit said the various pros and cons to the response were normal
\nin the wake of such an event.<\/p>\n
\"I was informed that the House's consultative body had agreed
\nto seriously study the response,\" Arbi remarked, while urging
\nlegislators to be more careful in responding to it.<\/p>\n
According to him, PDI Perjuangan is playing a significant role
\nin nurturing the House's ability to become more prudent.<\/p>\n
He stressed that the key to the nation's future was a
\ncompromise among the political elite.<\/p>\n
\"The compromise would mean that Gus Dur remain in his post
\nwith a promise to improve his performance. More power might be
\nshared with Megawati,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"It will be very costly if the House's memorandum leads to an
\nAssembly special session to impeach the President.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati is not ready to become President. She doesn't want
\nto take the post now, and we can do nothing about that,\" Arbi
\nadded. (rms\/imn\/dja\/02\/har\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-slam-gus-durs-response-to-memorandum-1447893297",
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