Cabinet does not intend to interfere with House: Lopa

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice and Human Rights Burhanuddin Lopa insisted on Sunday that the appeal from the Cabinet to the House of Representatives to not issue a second censure against President Abdurrahman Wahid was not interference nor an attempt to usurp the authority of the legislature.

"The Cabinet made the appeal in good faith only out of its great concern for the unity of the nation and not to defend anybody," Lopa told a meeting with mass media editors.

Lopa was accompanied at the media briefing by Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih and Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Erna Witoelar.

Most politicians and analysts have lambasted the Cabinet's appeal, which was conveyed by Lopa to House leaders on Friday, as an act of intervention of House authority.

Lopa, who is known for his integrity and courage to defend the supremacy of law even during Soeharto's authoritarian rule, was attacked by several members of the media as being a sycophant to Abdurrahman.

Lopa said the appeal he conveyed to the House was decided at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday after reviewing the latest situation, notably the steady inflow of Abdurrahman's supporters into Jakarta, and assessing the horrendous possibility that the nation might plunge into chaos.

"The Cabinet came to the conclusion that the political impasse has escalated to such a boiling point as to threaten the whole nation, making it almost impossible for the ministers to execute their tasks," he said.

Then, he added, as the House plans to issue a second censure against the President was analyzed as one of the main reasons behind the impasse, the Cabinet decided to appeal to the House to make a more thorough contemplation, assessing the damages that could be inflicted, before the legislators go ahead with their decision.

"It is simply an appeal in a last-ditch effort to save the nation from any irreparable damages that could ensue from a second censure," Lopa added.

He said the Cabinet only asked for understanding on the part of the House regarding the grave dangers the nation is facing now and the devastating damages a second censure could cause.

"But I understood their position when House Speaker Akbar Tandjung and the House vice speakers who accompanied him at the meeting with me all insisted that the process of issuing a second censure at the plenary session on Monday would continue.

"I only suggested on behalf of the Cabinet that the House sees to it that whatever the form and content of the second censure they may issue, that it does not lead to an impeachment process," Lopa added.

It is entirely up to the House as to whether the legislators will take heed or simply reject the Cabinet appeal, Lopa said, reiterating that the Cabinet's initiative was not meant to defend anyone but only to save the nation from disaster.

Asked as to why he risked compromising his integrity by venturing to represent the Cabinet in conveying the appeal to the House, Lopa said he did not mind the accusations, because "I sincerely believe that what I did was entirely for the good of nation".

He said he did not ask to be appointed as the purveyor of the appeal, adding that "both the Cabinet and Abdurrahman agreed that as a legal expert, I am the right person to meet the House and answer any questions the House leaders may raise in connection with the appeal".

Lopa also denied some newspaper reports accusing him of suggesting at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday that the House be dissolved.

"I am not that stupid to propose such a thing. The issue of dissolving the House (legislature) came up during our discussion of the systems of government in other countries. But I strongly asserted that under our presidential Cabinet the House cannot be dissolved by the President or the other way around," he added.

Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih, who also attended the Cabinet meeting, concurred that Lopa never hinted such a thing during the meeting.

"The Cabinet entrusted Lopa to convey the appeal to the House and to ask for the legislators' understanding about the dangers the nation is facing," Bungaran added. (vin)