Observers tell Megawati to be ready for task ahead<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political observers urged the nation on Thursday
\nto ignore President Abdurrahman Wahid's political maneuvers and
\ninstead focus on the future by identifying the priorities needed
\nto be tackled by a new government.<\/p>\n
In a news briefing at the Centre for Strategic and
\nInternational Studies on Monday which signaled little faith in
\nthe survival of Abdurrahman's administration, political observers
\nJ. Kristiadi, Rizal Mallarangeng and Hadi Soesastro urged
\npotential successors to prepare themselves and get down to work
\nimmediately after a transition of power occurred during the
\nspecial session of the People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
\"We have to set our eyes on the future, we cannot continue to
\nreact to Gus Dur's threats, because we have seen the process and
\nwe can identify who is going to lose,\" Rizal Mallarangeng said,
\nreferring to Abdurrahman by his nickname.<\/p>\n
\"It is almost impossible not to have Megawati as president,\"
\nRizal added.<\/p>\n
The nation has been witness in recent weeks to a series of
\nthreats from the President, who has warned of imposing a state of
\nemergency and dissolving the legislature if the Assembly in its
\nimpending special session forges ahead with seeking his
\naccountability.<\/p>\n
Should his accountability be rejected, Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri would assume the role of president.<\/p>\n
Given what he believes to be this inevitable outcome, Rizal
\nsaid it was more important now for Megawati to prepare herself
\nfor the task ahead with concrete plans, rather than becoming
\nentangled in political bickering.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati should reveal her concepts and focus on the
\ngovernment. She also has to set new methods to reach these goals.
\nMegawati cannot effort to fail because her failure would ruin the
\nwhole country,\" Rizal said.<\/p>\n
\"She has to be prepared because in every change there's always
\na political honeymoon, after which people resume their criticism,
\nso we have to set what should be done in the immediate future,\"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
J. Kristiadi concurred, saying that Abdurrahman will not
\nsurvive the Assembly special session and only a miracle could
\nhelp him survive the scrutiny of the Assembly.<\/p>\n
\"What we have to focus on now is that the people have the
\nright to ensure that the upcoming Assembly special session will
\nbring about good measures for the country and not turn out to be
\nanother political deception,\" Kristiadi said.<\/p>\n
He cited the 1999 Assembly special session which swept aside
\nMegawati from the presidential seat even though her party had won
\nthe most votes in the general election.<\/p>\n
\"That kind of political maneuver should not happen again
\nbecause we have seen that such a move only worsens the country's
\ncrisis,\" Kristiadi said.<\/p>\n
Economist Hadi Soesastro said the new government should
\nrealize that it was in a race against time, so it must
\nimmediately start to determine what actions should be taken and
\nthe policy choices which lie before it.<\/p>\n
\"The days of the current government are numbered, so we have
\nto figure out what must be done after the new government is
\nelected,\" Hadi underlined.<\/p>\n
He underlined the need to build good governance to regain
\npublic and market trust. (dja)<\/p>",
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