Assembly session 'not to topple President'

JAKARTA (JP): The Islamic-based Justice Party (PK) celebrated its second anniversary on Sunday with a call on the nation to create a conducive atmosphere for the general session of the People's Consultative Assembly in August.

"The session is not an agenda to topple the President. It's an agenda to listen to his progress report," the party's chairman Hidayat Nurwahid told reporters on the sidelines of the event held at the Senayan Stadium in Central Jakarta.

At least 25,000 party supporters attended the celebration, which also saw the party's new executives sworn in.

Hidayat urged all political parties to renew their commitment to the reform agenda, the supremacy of law and national integrity.

He warned political groups against diverting the main agenda of the Assembly session onto other issues for their own interests.

"Do not spoil the session's agenda which has already been determined," he remarked.

Hidayat said Abdurrahman's government is now under pressure after the House of Representatives voted for an interpellation petition to question the President over his controversial policies.

The interpellation motion, as well as the general session, could be an appropriate forum to silence all of those who are against him, according to Hidayat.

"But it's all up to Gus Dur. He just needs to answer it professionally and the problem will be over," he said in reference to the President.

Hidayat asked Gus Dur not to respond to the interpellation petition emotionally, saying the House has the right to control the government.

Hidayat was elected the Justice Party chairman in May after former chief Nurmahmudi Nur Ismail relinquished his post and quit the party.

The party, which was established on July 20 in 1998, won 1.2 percent of the popular votes in last year's general session for seven seats in the House. It formed the Reform Faction at the House along with the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Under Hidayat, the party will have to struggle for a change in the election law, which was enacted last year, in order to qualify for the 2004 polls. The law stipulates that a party must win at least 2 percent of the votes to contest the next poll. (jun)