Agum and MPR leaders discuss special session
JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar met with leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to discuss the special session scheduled for Aug. 1, 2001.
In his first meeting at the MPR since his appointment earlier this month, Agum was accompanied by Minister of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy Surjadi Soedirdja and Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago, chief of Indonesia's Military General Affairs.
Agum refused to speak in detail about the meeting, saying it was a mere courtesy call after assuming his new post.
MPR speaker Amien Rais, who hosted the meeting, said both sides agreed during the talks to pacify the special session and respect any decision resulting from it.
"We agree to respect any decision the Assembly will make in the special session. Nobody will be the loser, we, the whole nation, will be the winners," he said.
Amien, who was accompanied by his deputies Sutjipto and Hari Sabarno, said Agum called on MPR leaders to maintain a sense of unity in the special session.
Without elaborating Amien said Agum also warned the Assembly against taking any misleading decisions that could stand between the nation and its development.
Separately, the National Mandate Party (PAN) reiterated its stance on the special session's single agenda of asking the President to present his accountability speech.
"All ideas, including political compromise, should be brought to the special session. Let the Assembly seek the best solution to the political crisis," Abdillah Thoha, deputy chairman of PAN, said on the sidelines of a seminar on the West Pacific Forum.
He further added that it would be difficult for the President to seek a consensus with political parties if he offered uninteresting and unconstitutional initiatives.
"There's unlikely to be a compromise if the President declines to deliver his accountability speech, the only agenda the Assembly has set for the special session," he said, adding that the ongoing negotiations between the President's envoys and party leaders would not change the special session's agenda.
Abdillah also dismissed the President's statement that the latest Cabinet reshuffle was conducted to meet the demand of political parties.
He said no political party, especially PAN, had suggested the Cabinet changes nor to accept the offer of compromise from the President.
Separately, political observer Cornelis Lay regretted that so far the much-awaited political compromise had merely been a matter of words coming from political leaders who continue to spark controversies.
"Political compromise is only a verbal expression while they all continue their political maneuvering. Compromise has become their daily lingo, but they act the other way round," Cornelis said.
He accentuated that all national leaders should talk to each other and if they were ever no longer able to communicate then they should resign as leaders.
"They were elected and are paid to talk to each other...once they cannot speak to each other then they'd better stop as national leaders," Cornelis, who is known as Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri's close aide, remarked.
He lashed out at Assembly members, saying that as the highest lawmakers they should exercise wisdom and try to find more substantial solutions to the current political stalemate.
"If the Assembly could figure out how to regulate the relationship between the President and the House of Representatives, the President and the military, that would be an outstanding achievement," Cornelis said.
"But, it is too bad that up until today they have just been driven by the spirit to topple or to elect a president. Hopefully, after all of this, they can start to think of the future and try to listen to each other and accept any differences." (rms/dja)