Agum pledge to reunite Gus Dur and Megawati
Agum pledge to reunite Gus Dur and Megawati
JAKARTA (JP): After being sworn into his new position on
Tuesday, Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
Affairs Agum Gumelar cautiously affirmed his determination to
help bridge the political divide between President Abdurrahman
Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Agum, who was previously the minister of communications, said
he would do his best to reconcile the two leaders' differences.
He stressed that a harmonious relationship between Abdurrahman
and Megawati was crucial for the nation.
With less than two months before a special session of the
People's Consultative Assembly, Agum refused to speculate on the
likely success of his efforts.
"I will try as hard as possible to approach them," Agum said
after attending a ceremony for the appointment of four Cabinet
members at the State Palace.
Agum, who was a Cabinet minister under former president B.J.
Habibie, repeated his pledge later on Tuesday afternoon,
following a handover ceremony with his predecessor Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono.
Abdurrahman has publicly said that he appointed Agum to the
coordinating post in the hope that Agum would be able to
negotiate a reconciliation between him and Megawati.
The widening political gap between the two leaders is seen by
many as continuing to exacerbate the national crisis.
"Every problem has its own obstacle and opportunity, and we
need to be cautious," Agum replied when asked by reporters about
his task.
When pressed further Agum remarked: "Insya Allah (God's
willing)".
Agum is widely regarded as being relatively close to Megawati,
mainly because of his role in helping the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) when it was facing intense political pressure from
the administration of president Soeharto in 1993.
Agum, like Susilo, is a retired Army officer. They have both
relinquished active duty as regulations now prohibit active
military officers from holding civilian posts.
Both men were awarded honorary promotions, to the rank of
general, upon retirement.
When queried about his relationship with Megawati, Agum
replied: "I'm not a member of any political party, but I thank
you if you call me a PDI Perjuangan member," referring to the
party which Megawati chairs.
Asked to comment on the executive order mandating the
coordinating minister to take measures to restore security amid
potential outbreaks of violence, Agum was wary in his response,
saying that he needed to consult the President.
Later in the evening, at a welcoming and farewell gathering
also attended by Susilo, Agum appealed for all political parties
to put aside their individual interests.
"Many political parties speak about the national interest, but
in reality they pursue their own. That is what makes the nation's
problems unsolvable."
He urged all parties to "be more serious" in putting aside
their respective agendas and finding a common solution.
"If not, then Indonesia will fall apart!" (dja/prb)