151 legislators propose memo on Gus Dur's faults

151 legislators propose memo on Gus Dur's faults

JAKARTA (JP): A total of 151 legislators from five political
parties submitted to House on Wednesday a proposal for a
memorandum accusing President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid of
inadequacies and questionable behavior.

The 500-strong House can only call for the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) to hold a special session to impeach
the President if the latter ignores a memorandum twice.

Zulvan Lindan, spokesman for the legislators, said they
exercised "their opinion rights" to ask the House to issue a
memorandum in connection with the President's alleged breaches of
the constitution, state policy, the presidential oath and several
MPR decrees.

"According to the constitution and the House's internal rules
and our moral obligation to protect the nation, we are exercising
our opinion rights concerning the violations committed by
President Abdurrahman Wahid," Zulvan of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said.

The President, he said, violated the constitution by allowing
the Irianese to raise the Morning Star flag.

He said the President violated the 1966 Provisional MPR decree
banning of the communist party, the 2000 MPR decree on the
appointment of National Police chief and the 2000 MPR decree on
the delegation of day-to-day administrative duties to Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"The President has openly called for the revocation of the
1966 MPRS decree banning the communist party, Marxism and
Leninism and this has caused confusion among people and sparked
protests from numerous sides," he said.

Another mistake the President made was appointing Gen. Suroyo
Bimantoro as National Police chief replacing Gen. Rusdihardjo
without the House's prior approval as stipulated in a 2000 MPR
decree. The House accepted Bimantoro's appointment on Tuesday.

Zulvan said the President has yet to delegate day-to-day
administrative responsibilities to the vice president, although
he has issued a decree on sharing the presidential workload.

The President also violated the 1998 MPR Decree on clean
government as the government was unable to try former president
Soeharto, his family and cronies over corruption during 32 years
of his rule, Zulvan said.

"The President has delayed the prosecution of conglomerate
owners Syamsul Nursalim, Marimutu Sinivasan and Prayogo Pangestu,
all Soeharto cronies," he said.

He said the President has not explained the reasons for the
dismissal of two economic ministers in April, a violation of the
1999 law on composition of MPR, House, provincial and regency
legislatures.

The proposal for the memorandum gained support from 47
legislators from PDI Perjuangan, 37 from Golkar, 22 from the
Reform faction, 10 from the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and one
from the Ummat Sovereignty faction.

Legislators from the National Awakening Party (PKB), known as
staunch Abdurrahman supporters, the Indonesian Military/National
Police faction and the Indonesian Nationhood (FKKI) faction have
refused to support the proposal.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, who received the proposal,
declined to give his personal view, saying he would just follow
procedures and let the House decide in a plenary session
scheduled for Monday next week.

"If the majority of the House supports the proposal, the
House's consultative body will process it in accordance with
internal procedures," he said.

According to procedure, the House will issue the memorandum if
the proposal is endorsed by the plenary session, then the
President has three months to respond.

"If the President ignores the first memorandum, the House will
issue a second, with the President given one month to reply. And
the House may call for a special session of the MPR if the
President ignores the second memorandum," he said.

The House is also investigating the President's alleged
involvement in the misuse of Rp 35 billion belonging to the State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) foundation. (rms)