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)