Megawati will survive till 2004, Amien believes<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) Amien Rais said on Friday that should Vice President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri replace Abdurrahman Wahid as President,
\nshe will survive until 2004 if she can maintain a corruption-free
\ncoalition in her cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"Insya Allah (God willing), she will be successful as
\npresident only if she can maintain a clean coalition and refuse
\nto take after the example set by her predecessors of dismissing
\nsupporters,\" Amien said after paying his last respects to the
\nlate noted economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo.<\/p>\n
Amien, also chairman of the National Mandate party (PAN), was
\nresponding to criticism of whether the Axis Force, a loose
\ncoalition of Muslim-based parties, was sincere in formulating a
\npermanent coalition with Golkar Party and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in an attempt to
\nhoist Megawati to presidency.<\/p>\n
He said if President Abdurrahman did not ignore his
\nobligations to fight corruption, promote the rule of law and
\npromote national integration, as well as dismiss his coalition
\npartners, he would be able to continue as President in peace.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Friday's breakfast between Abdurrahman and
\nMegawati at the latter's official residence, Amien said it was
\nprobably useful for Gus Dur to learn about the latest
\ndevelopments in the country.<\/p>\n
Breakfast at Megawati's residence has become a habit of Gus
\nDur's, giving an impression of a close relationship between the
\ntwo.<\/p>\n
Amien, however, said that he had been informed of Megawati's
\ndetermination to resist being a stooge to anyone.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur has often given the impression that all his decisions
\nhave been approved by Megawati and that TNI and PDI Perjuangan
\nwere behind him, though in reality, they were not,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, deputy chairman of the Crescent Star Party
\n(PBB) Ahmad Sumargono said although there should not be a problem
\nfor Megawati to be President, members of the political elite must
\nnot put aside the fatwa (decree) that a woman could not be the
\nnation's leader.<\/p>\n
\"What has been called haram (forbidden for Muslims) is still
\nharam,\" Ahmad said to the press prior to the funeral of Soemitro
\nat the Karet Bivak public cemetery, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However, Ahmad said that during an emergency, the decree could
\nbe set aside as the public have no better choice over the
\nnation's leadership.<\/p>\n
\"There is only Gus Dur or Mbak Mega.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur has failed to carry this nation out of the crisis. He
\nis no longer a legitimate president, therefore the national
\nleadership must be replaced,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ahmad, however, said that members of the political elite
\nshould determine the length of time this nation could be led by a
\nwoman: that is only until 2004.<\/p>\n
Ahmad added that Megawati should formulate her Cabinet by
\naccommodating professional people who are recommended by the
\npolitical parties which will be represented in the coalition
\nCabinet.<\/p>\n
He said the parties have already formulated a draft shadow
\ncabinet during their meeting held at the Dharmawangsa Hotel in
\nSouth Jakarta last Thursday night.<\/p>\n
\"The draft comprises candidates from the leading political
\nparties -- PDI Perjuangan, Golkar Party, the United Development
\nParty (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), PAN, and the
\nJustice Party (PK) -- according to their achievement in the 1999
\ngeneral election,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said on
\nFriday that President Abdurrahman will soon submit his reply to
\nthe memorandum in an effort \"to evade the image of existing
\ndisputes between executives and legislators and to speed up
\nreconciliation (between members of the political elite).\"<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully the reply, which is being prepared by Coordinating
\nMinister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono, will be endorsed during breakfast between Gus
\nDur and Megawati next Wednesday,\" Wimar said.<\/p>\n
The first memorandum was issued by the House of
\nRepresentatives on Feb. 1 which censured Abdurrahman over two
\nfinancial scandals.<\/p>\n
Separately, President Abdurrahman said on Friday that he would
\nallow all his political opponents to continue to pressure him to
\nresign \"until they get tired of themselves\".<\/p>\n
\"I will not take any action as that would only mean that I was
\nkilling the democratic process,\" Abdurrahman said after a Friday
\nprayer at his residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. (02\/edt)<\/p>",
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