Special session starts today<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly
\nhave decided to accelerate impeachment proceedings against the
\nPresident by convening a plenary session on Saturday morning to
\ndecide whether the special session to seek a presidential
\naccountability can begin immediately.<\/p>\n
Should the Assembly plenary session be approved, the President
\nmay have to present his all-important accountability speech on
\nMonday, which, if he fails to do or is rejected, could see him
\nousted within days.<\/p>\n
The decision to call a plenary Assembly session capped off a
\nhectic day of politicking on Friday, which saw the nation sink
\ndeeper into a bewildering political crisis and the brink of a
\nstate of emergency.<\/p>\n
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais announced the decision to convene
\nthe plenary session, which he confidently boasted would
\nundoubtedly agree to accelerate the special session that was
\ninitially set for Aug. 1.<\/p>\n
Palace officials ducked requests for comments on the latest
\ndevelopment late on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"The President has not received any invitation from the
\nAssembly,\" presidential spokesman Adhie Massardi said.<\/p>\n
The decision of the Assembly leaders was spurred in no small
\npart by President Abdurrahman Wahid's decision to install Gen.
\nChaeruddin Ismail as National Police chief caretaker.<\/p>\n
The nation had been on edge on Friday as Abdurrahman had said
\nhe would declare a state of emergency at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
Assembly members, who had all been instructed to be ready in
\nthe capital to convene at a moment's notice, had already gathered
\nto anticipate a possible reaction to the President.<\/p>\n
However, what transpired was not a declaration of a state of
\nemergency but the President delaying the deadline further to 6
\np.m. on July 31.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said a state of civil emergency would be imposed
\nif no political compromise was reached.<\/p>\n
\"But I hope there will be a political compromise before July
\n31,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The President also installed Chaeruddin as police chief
\ncaretaker, aggravating further the leadership crisis of the
\nNational Police chief after he dismissed incumbent chief Gen.
\nSurojo Bimantoro.<\/p>\n
Led by Amien Rais, Assembly leaders jumped into their meeting
\nroom and hashed out a decision to convene the 700-member Assembly
\nthe next day to seek approval for a snap special session.<\/p>\n
\"Eight factions (of 11 factions) in the Assembly threw their
\nweight behind the plenary session and, Insya Allah (God willing),
\nthey are expected to support a hastened special session,\" Amien
\nsaid after the meeting.<\/p>\n
Seated next to Amien during the media briefing were deputy
\nspeakers from the eight factions which supported the Assembly's
\nplenary session. Among them were Sutjipto of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita of the Golkar Party and Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno of the
\nIndonesian Military\/National Police faction.<\/p>\n
The other five factions who also supported the move were the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP) faction, the Reform faction, the
\nSocietal group faction, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction and
\nthe Ummah Sovereignty Party (PDU) faction.<\/p>\n
Conspicuously absent during the meeting was the President's
\nNational Awakening Party.<\/p>\n
Amien said that once the special session was approved, the
\nPresident would be given all of Sunday to prepare for his
\naccountability speech.<\/p>\n
Should the President fail to present his accountability,
\nsomething Abdurrahman has insisted that he would not do, the
\nAssembly could immediately revoke their mandate and appoint Vice
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri as president.<\/p>\n
Amien conceded that Chaeruddin's inauguration had been a
\ndeciding factor.<\/p>\n
\"With Chaeruddin's status as acting chief, he will have power
\nand authority as National Police chief and this could raise
\nserious friction within the police body,\" Amien said.<\/p>\n
\"The country's situation will worsen. This is a reason why the
\neight factions decided unanimously to bring forward the special
\nsession,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Many have anticipated that a hastened special session would be
\ncalled if a state emergency was imposed, but the fact that it was
\ncalled due to Chaeruddin's installment may raise further
\ncontroversy.<\/p>\n
Earlier, House of Representatives Speaker and Golkar Party
\nchief Akbar Tandjung was somewhat vague on the issue of
\nChaeruddin's installment, saying that since he was only appointed
\nas caretaker, it did not necessarily require the House's
\napproval.<\/p>\n
Golkar officials could not be reached for further comment late
\non Friday night as they were convening in a meeting to formulate
\ntheir position for Saturday's plenary session.<\/p>\n
PKB secretary Abdul Kholiq Achmad also contended that
\nChaeruddin's appointment was not a violation of Assembly Decree
\nNo. VII\/2000 which requires the President to seek approval in
\nappointing and dismissing the National Police chief.<\/p>\n
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri remained out of the
\npublic eye and canceled some engagements during these critical
\ndevelopments as she privately met politicians at her residence.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan secretary-general Soetjipto said that the party
\nwas ready to hold a snap special session.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, the
\nspokesman for the Indonesian Military (TNI), Rear Marshall Graito
\nUsodo, said the military would back the special session, saying
\nit was the constitutional way to settle the political impasse.<\/p>\n
\"We will fully back up the police in safeguarding the
\nsession,\" he said. (rms\/27\/dja\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/special-session-starts-today-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}