Akbar may convey compromise idea to Gus Dur

Akbar may convey compromise idea to Gus Dur

JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
Tandjung said on Friday that he would likely convey his ideas on
a power-sharing scheme to President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid
if it secures support from major factions at the legislature.

"The fate of the power-sharing scheme between the President
and the Vice President will very much depend on major House
factions and Gus Dur himself," he said when asked about a
detailed idea on the scheme here on Friday.

Akbar said the proposed compromise had likely won the support
of major House factions as numerous legislators had given the
thumbs up to the proposal.

"Now, it's up to Gus Dur to decide. And I will likely convey
the idea to the President if both sides give the green light for
me to go ahead," he said.

Akbar said he brought up the idea in an effort to avoid the
exacting of a greater political cost to the nation if the House's
memorandum of censure ended with the holding of a People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) special session to impeach the
President.

Akbar's proposal has received mixed responses from
legislators.

Sutjipto, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, rejected the scheme.

"Our faction will stick to the memorandum process with the
inevitable consequence of the President being impeached," he
said.

Aberson Marle Sihaloho, Sutjipto's colleague, hailed Akbar's
proposal, but insisted that the power-sharing scheme be based on
the results of the 1999 general election.

"Gus Dur and Megawati should maintain their current positions,
while all positions in the Cabinet should be given to members of
the parties according to their gains in the last election," he
said.

Syamsul Muarif, chairman of Golkar faction, agreed with
Akbar's proposal, saying that his party should gain proportional
positions in the Cabinet.

Factions grouped in the Axis Force turned down any such
compromise, saying that they wanted the first memorandum to
proceed and lead directly to impeachment of the President through
an Assembly special session.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Military (TNI)/National Police
faction was cautious in its response to Akbar's idea.

"Our faction will not immediately join the chorus. We will
wait and see what most factions really want," Maj. Gen. Syamsul
Maarif, a member of the faction, said.

Meanwhile, Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) chairman Achmad
Tirtosudiro said on Friday that any political compromise should
be involve power sharing in the Cabinet.

He, however, said power sharing should only be considered if
the President "could maintain his presidency until 2004".

"If only the President can get through this critical
moment ... we expect he can improve his Cabinet's performance,"
Achmad said after chairing a closed-door meeting between Council
members and the security authorities.

Present at the meeting were Coordinating Minister for
Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D., Minister of Home Affairs and
Regional Autonomy Surjadi Soedirdja, Indonesian Military (TNI)
Commander Adm. Widodo A.S., National Police chief Gen. Surojo
Bimantoro and chief of TNI's Strategic Intelligence Body (Bais)
Vice Marshall Ian Santoso Perdanakusuma.

Susilo, however, said such a compromise should be considered
only if it provided a solution to the political bickering and
deadlock.

"The political compromise must be held in an effort to solve
the nation's fundamental problems and should not only be
political cosmetics," Susilo said.

Meanwhile, Mahfud said the factions had yet to reach a final
agreement on the political compromise as they still differed over
whether the compromise was to separate the President's duties as
head of state and as head of government, or to develop a joint
political platform, or to have power sharing in the Cabinet.

In a related development, some 200 students from the Student
Executive Boards (BEMs) of the University of Indonesia, the Bogor
Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and Mercubuana University called
on the House to take strict action against the President for
rejecting the first memorandum.

"The House must proceed with a recommendation to hold an
Assembly special session to impeach the President because the
latter has denied any involvement in the two financial scandals
and made no repairs in the government," Taufik Riyadi, spokesman
for the students, said in a meeting with the PDI Perjuangan
faction. (02/rms)