Aides discount role of `whisperers'

JAKARTA (JP): Close aides of President Abdurrahman Wahid have denied feeding him wrong information resulting in his controversial statements or policies.

The House of Representatives summoned the President's four secretaries on Thursday, in the hunt to uncover the identity of the "whisperers", whom politicians say have been misleading him.

The secretaries have been the target of speculation because of their access and proximity to the nearly-blind President.

There were no specific "whisperers" around the President, military secretary Air Rear Marshal Budhy Santoso told a hearing with the House's Commission I.

"You know the President is very open. In this transparent era, he gets his information from many people," said Budhy.

Also present were Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simajuntak, Secretary of Government Supervision and State Secretary Bondan Gunawan and Presidential Secretary Ratih Kaniawan Hardjono.

Abdurrahman stunned the public when he said earlier this month in Davos, Switzerland, that he was aware of a plot against his administration being discussed by several military generals at a clandestine meeting on Jl. Lautze, Central Jakarta. The Indonesian Military (TNI) has denied any such meeting took place.

The President also ruffled feathers when he dismissed the significance of a rally in January in Jakarta to call for a jihad against Christians in strife-torn North Maluku. He said the crowd at the "one million gathering" at Monas Square opposite his office could not have numbered more than 20,000.

Speculations about the influence of the mysterious "whisperers" grew further on Sunday, after Abdurrahman made an about-face within the space of only a few hours and suspended Gen. Wiranto from his post as coordinating minister for political and security affairs.

"About Lautze, he did not get the information from us," Budhy said.

Marsilam said any controversial or inaccurate statements the President may have made was beyond the secretaries control because everything the President said was off-the-cuff.

"If he made statements at a function, none of us here should be held responsible. We did not prepare his speech," he said.

Marsilam pleaded to politicians to judge the President by his results, and not by the process gone through to arrive at them or the inputs given to him.

"It is not important who whispered to him. Look at the outcome of his statements. By exaggerating the role of the `whisperers', you are underestimating the President," Marsilam said.

Ratih said because of his openness, the President gets his information from all sorts of people.

She said part of her job, as defined by the President shortly after his election in October, was to make sure that people have access to him. "I remember the message given to me: Bring the people to the Palace," said Ratih.

"I don't discriminate against visitors. A kiyai (Muslim teacher) who comes in sarong and sandals will be given a chance to meet Gus Dur," she said, referring to the President by his nickname.

House members questioned the recruitment of the secretaries from outside the government, saying their posts should have been filled by ranking civil servants.

Marsilam contested their claim, saying the secretaries were "political postings" and were accountable only to the President.

Marsilam and Bondan are Abdurrahman's friends from his days as chairman of the Forum for Democracy, which was very critical of the Soeharto regime.

Australian agent

Ratih, a former Australian correspondent for Kompas newspaper, has been the subject of many recent magazine cover stories, some suggesting she was an agent for the Australian government.

Asked to comment on this suggestion, she said she was ready to contest it in a court if anyone came up with evidence.

House member Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, who presided over the meeting, picked on Gus Dur's second daughter "Yenny" Zannuba Arifah, who has escorted and guided the President in his travels.

"The rumors say that the information about the Lautze meeting came from his daughter. I can understand that a daughter would alert her father if she thinks he is in a dangerous situation, so she naively told him about the plot," Yasril said.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again," he said pointedly.

Yenni, a former journalist, was not reachable for comment on Thursday.

Yasril questioned the role of Abdurrahman's daughters, particularly Yenni, who are often seen guiding the half-blind president in state functions.

"Is she needed all the time? Isn't an adjutant enough? If she is not an official member of the palace staff, why she is always present at meetings where confidential matters may be discussed?" he said.

Bondan said his office was processing her recruitment as a member of the presidential staff. (emf)