Abdurrahman asked to step aside and let Megawati lead

Abdurrahman asked to step aside and let Megawati lead

JAKARTA (JP): In an effort to prevent further political
turmoil, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) suggested that President Abdurrahman Wahid step aside
and let Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri take the lead.

PDI Perjuangan executive Jacob Tobing said on Thursday that
Abdurrahman should take a "sabbatical leave" for a "long or
short" period of time and let Megawati, who is also the party's
chairperson, perform the daily presidential duties.

"We offer him an 'escape door' to prevent further political
turmoil. We do this because we love and respect him.

"He is sick and being a president has put too much pressure on
him," Jacob, head of the PDI Perjuangan's Research and
Development Department, told The Jakarta Post.

"The 'throne' will stay in his hands as we will still respect
him as a president. But let the whole management of the
government be controlled by ibu Mega who will become the ad
interim President," he said.

The former Golkar Party's deputy chairman said the cabinet
reshuffle and different management system of the government will
follow the decision of Megawati as she will have the authority to
lead the government.

Jacob maintained that this is not a political maneuver by
Megawati to finally assume state leadership after PDI Perjuangan
won the 1999 general election, but if she finally manages to
control everything then it's merely a side effect of the
developing situation.

"She will not do anything unconstitutional, but if the
President takes leave or steps down, then she will take the lead
in a constitutional way," he said.

"Megawati has repeatedly said that the President should stay
until his five-year term ends in 2004.

"So, Abdurrahman will stay as the on-leave President till
then," he added.

Jacob said that there have been many scenarios prepared to
bring Abdurrahman down, the maneuvers of which will further hurt
the current condition of the country.

"What they want is to topple both Megawati and Abdurrahman.
That will be more damaging for the people," he said.

He further said that he was convinced that this time the PDI
Perjuangan could manage to control everything and handle the plan
effectively.

"So, it's up to the President whether to maintain his stance
and let the country crumble or trust PDI Perjuangan," he said.

Jacob maintained that the party would place all its efforts
into forcing the plan into action over the next three months.

When asked whether Abdurrahman had received or heard about the
proposal, Jacob said: "Officially no. But, the message has been
conveyed and somehow he disagreed. But, he has to see what else
he can do now."

"Megawati is ready to take the lead and our party is ready to
become the leading agent of the country. We've learned from our
mistakes in the 1999 General Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly... we'll not do it again," he said. (dja)