Abdurrahman firm on not stepping down from post

Abdurrahman firm on not stepping down from post

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid insisted on Sunday
he would not resign before the end of his term in 2004 even if
the military turned its guns on the presidential palace.

A defiant Abdurrahman challenged the military and police to
try to use force to oust him, which he said would not change his
position in the least.

"They can point their guns and shoot at the palace ... what
I'm doing is maintaining the unity of the state and I will not
hesitate to deal with violators of the Constitution," the
President said after attending dawn prayer at a mosque near his
residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, on Sunday.

Comparing himself to former president Sukarno, who he said
faced the same adversity, Abdurrahman maintained that he would be
as "brave" as Indonesia's founding president.

"At that time, he (Sukarno) talked to the TNI (the Indonesian
Military) and said: 'Go ahead, you can shoot me because I have
been chosen by the people,'" Abdurrahman remarked.

"I will follow in his footsteps. I will be no less brave than
Bung Karno."

Abdurrahman is desperately attempting to maintain his
beleaguered presidency. The showdown is expected to climax in
August when the People's Consultative Assembly convenes a special
session to seek his accountability.

If his accountability is rejected, the Assembly could revoke
the presidential mandate it gave to Abdurrahman and hand the
presidency to Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Abdurrahman reiterated on Sunday that he would accept the
convening of the special session as long as the Assembly did not
demand his accountability.

"They can hold the Assembly special session, but it should not
be to ask for my accountability... only if we used the
parliamentary system could my accountability be demanded.
Currently we adhere to a presidential system," he said.

"I will remain (in office) until Oct. 5, 2004. I will step
down when the time has come," Abdurrahman added.

The President said he would continue to offer a political
compromise to all parties before the special session, and called
on other national leaders to be patient in dealing with the
current political crisis.

He revealed that he had ordered his ministers "to go back and
forth to all political leaders" to seek a compromise.

"I call on everybody, including Amien, Mega, Akbar and Hamzah
Haz to be patient. In such a political situation disagreements
always occur, so we just have to look on the bright side," the
President said.

Abdurrahman was referring to Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri,
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung, United Development Party
(PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz and National Mandate Party (PAN)
chairman Amien Rais.

Later in the day Hamzah Haz welcomed the President's remarks,
saying that Abdurrahman had begun to take positive steps toward
dealing with the special session and that there was always a
chance for compromise.

"The President has shown his good intentions. I just hope that
he will be consistent," Hamzah said, adding that he is waiting
for the ministers to begin discussing possible political
compromises.

"Besides, during the special session we are not going to talk
about problems other than the two financial scandals so it should
be OK. It (the session) is not going to be about the government's
performance," he remarked.

Abdurrahman's alleged involvement in a Rp 35 billion scandal
involving a foundation at the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and
a US$2 million "gift" from the sultan of Brunei was the catalyst
for the censure process in the House of Representatives, which
culminated in the calling of a special session. (dja)