Megawati 'will not join conspiracy' to topple President<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) and aides close to chairperson Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, said the party would not partake in any conspiracy
\nto topple the President despite endorsing a legislative committee
\nreport which implicated the President in two financial scandals.<\/p>\n
One of Vice President Megawati's political advisors, Cornelius
\nLay, said Megawati will not join a "political conspiracy" to
\ntopple President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Cornelius, who heads the Political Bureau at the Vice
\nPresidential Secretariat, further asserted here on Saturday that
\nMegawati had no intention of jumping on the political bandwagon
\nto unseat the President despite her commitment to promoting a
\nclean government.<\/p>\n
"No, Mega is not interested in that political move although
\nthere is strong pressure on her to function as an Arroyo (the
\nPhilippine vice president who replaced president Joseph Estrada)
\nwho had to collaborate with a conspiracy to topple (the
\nPhilippine) president when the president committed mistakes," he
\ntold reporters after speaking at a discussion at the Yogyakarta-
\nbased Islamic University here.<\/p>\n
He said Megawati would act as any normal vice president by
\nhelping the President to correct his past mistakes.<\/p>\n
"According to our constitution, a vice president can become a
\npresident if the president is permanently unable to sit as
\npresident. A president's resignation over a certain mistake is
\nanother (possible) political scenario," Cornelius remarked.<\/p>\n
He said that it would be very inappropriate if the Vice
\nPresident is involved in a conspiracy to unseat the President.<\/p>\n
Cornelis also said that unseating Abdurrahman would only bring
\nthe country into prolonged uncertainty affecting the credibility
\nof the presidential institution.<\/p>\n
"Mega doesn't want to see the President unseated before his or
\nher term ends. If she joins the political drive to topple Gus Dur
\nfrom the presidency, a similar thing can occur to her if she
\nbecomes president in the future," he said.<\/p>\n
Cornelis believes that the movement to unseat Abdurrahman was
\namong others being backed by remnants of the New Order regime and
\nthose who wanted to save themselves.<\/p>\n
He said that there were clear signs that the past regime would
\nattempt to return to the political arena by destroying the
\ncurrent government.<\/p>\n
Cornelis assured that Vice President Megawati would not be
\ntempted to follow the plot designed by those from the past
\nregime.<\/p>\n
"I don't think Megawati will easily fall into the political
\ntrap. She has learnt much from the past and that her supporters,
\nparticularly at the grassroots level, would reject her step if
\nshe does so," he said.<\/p>\n
He further remarked that should Megawati engage in such a
\npolitical move her own government would be short lived.<\/p>\n
Separately in Medan, North Sumatra, the secretary general of
\nPDI Perjuangan's central board, Sucipto, also asserted that the
\nparty has never had any intention of overthrowing the President.<\/p>\n
"PDI Perjuangan rejects any attempt to topple the President
\nthrough unconstitutional means," he said as quoted by Antara on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
Sucipto said the party will weigh calls for Abdurrahman's
\nresignation calmly and rationally. (44)<\/p>",
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