Search continues for political compromise<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): With only 15 days remaining until President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid faces his censure deadline, the delicate search
\nfor a political compromise remained a distant prospect with key
\nfigures in the negotiations sending mixed signals on the progress
\nachieved.<\/p>\n
A member of the team of seven ministers tasked with unknotting
\nthe impasse and drafting a compromise claimed that Abdurrahman,
\ndespite publicly ruling out delegating more power to the Vice
\nPresident, claimed that the President had personally agreed to go
\nbeyond the current presidential decree on task-sharing with his
\ndeputy.<\/p>\n
However Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri was quoted as
\nsaying on Monday that a People's Consultative Assembly special
\nsession remained very much on the cards and \"could not be
\nhalted.\"<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, it was unclear whether the special session she
\nforecast would be geared toward the removal of the President or
\nan affirmation of a delegation of power to herself.<\/p>\n
Her comments came later in the day after she had received an
\nupdate during the morning from two members of the team of seven
\n-- Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Attorney General Marzuki
\nDarusman -- while seeing off Abdurrahman who left for a one-day
\ntrip to Thailand.<\/p>\n
Marzuki, during an afternoon telephone interview with The
\nJakarta Post was upbeat on the prospect of a compromise.<\/p>\n
\"As far as I know from talks with the President, I see that
\nthe President is willing to revise Decree No. 121,\" he said,
\nreferring to the power sharing decree issued in August.<\/p>\n
When asked why the President's stance was suddenly softening,
\nMarzuki said: \"It's because of (his) evaluation of the latest
\npolitical development\".<\/p>\n
He did not elaborate but added that the decision was only
\nrecently taken by Abdurrahman.<\/p>\n
As of Friday, Abdurrahman remained defiant, ruling out more
\npower for Megawati and insisted that he would not respond to the
\nHouse of Representatives's second memorandum of censure.<\/p>\n
Top politicians and the Cabinet have suggested that giving
\nreal executive power to Megawati would be the most realistic
\nchoice to end the current political impasse.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman has until the end of the month to respond to the
\ncensure, after which the House can propose an Assembly special
\nsession to assess the President's accountability.<\/p>\n
Marzuki on Monday said that, \"if we want to rearrange the
\nrelationship between the President and the Vice President, it
\nmust go beyond the existing decree, which is what has been
\nbrought into the spotlight by the House.\"<\/p>\n
He added the fact that Megawati leads the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the largest House
\nfaction, which must be taken into consideration.<\/p>\n
\"This problem centers not only on Ibu Megawati as Vice
\nPresident, but also as the leader of PDI Perjuangan, the party
\nthat will take the issue to an Assembly special session.\"<\/p>\n
The team is expected to meet with the President after he
\nreturns home today to discuss the proposal.<\/p>\n
Assembly<\/p>\n
Later on Monday afternoon, deputy chairman of the Muhammadiyah
\nYouth, Najamuddin Ramly, after meeting the Vice President quoted
\nher as saying that the \"Assembly session is something that cannot
\nbe halted\" as the second censure had already been issued.<\/p>\n
Najamuddin added that during the meeting with Muhammadiyah's
\nexecutive board, Megawati had replied \"yes\" when asked whether
\nthe country's current political problem could only be dealt with
\nby an Assembly special session.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile from Bangkok, Abdurrahman claimed that reports of
\nhis possible political demise were exaggerated.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a media conference, after a meeting with Thai
\nPrime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Abdurrahman said the House and
\nthe media were \"misled in their estimation (of events in
\nIndonesia)\".<\/p>\n
\"The facts are not like that,\" the President said, as quoted
\nby AFP.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, Army Chief of Staff Gen.
\nEndriartono Sutarto in Padalarang, West Java, revealed that the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) had advised the President \"not to
\nplan, or even consider, declaring a state of emergency, which is
\nonly used for the dissolution of the House.\"<\/p>\n
He warned of \"chaos\" if the President remained adamant, but
\nstressed his belief that Abdurrahman, as a \"highly respected kyai
\n(religious leader)\", would seriously reconsider such options.<\/p>\n
Endriartono also said he was confident that the Navy and Air
\nForce were of the same opinion.<\/p>\n
Army Strategic Reserves Command chief Lt. Gen. Ryamizard
\nRyacudu also said that any possible change in the TNI leadership,
\nincluding chiefs of staff, should not be motivated to achieve
\ncertain political aims.<\/p>\n
\"The TNI should not be politicized, any changes should not be
\nbased on political factors,\" said Ryamizard who was also in
\nPadalarang to attend a ceremony.<\/p>\n
\"Actually I feel sorry for Gus Dur, he's a good man. We often
\nhave breakfast together and there has been no talk of changes,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"This must be the work of whisperers close to him.\"
\n(byg\/dja\/02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/search-continues-for-political-compromise-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}