Cabinet will run as usual, Bambang says

Cabinet will run as usual, Bambang says

JAKARTA (JP): The Cabinet will function as usual despite the
heated dispute between the President and the House of
Representatives (DPR), Cabinet ministers say.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Friday that all the
ministers would let the President handle his problem with the
House in his own way.

"There is a problem that President Abdurrahman Wahid should
deal with, but we the ministers will make it clear that the
government must run normally," he said.

Susilo also denied rumors that some of the ministers would
quit.

The only minister from the National Mandate Party (PAN)
Alhilal Hamdi, who is in charge of manpower and transmigration,
said his daily tasks as a minister would remain unchanged. "There
is a clear distinction between the President's problem and the
Cabinet's business.

"The only difference in our day-to-day dealings is that we all
have to report things to the Vice President," Alhilal told
journalists.

The House censured the President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid
on Thursday over his alleged involvement in the State Logistics
Agency (Bulog) and Brunei financial scandals.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab, a close aide to the
President, said the international community had yet to show any
curiosity about what happened to the President.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said
that if the President was considered guilty he should resign and
allow legal measures to proceed.

Legal view

In separate interviews, law professor J.E. Sahetapy and legal
sociologist from Semarang's Diponegoro University Satjipto
Rahardjo said that, by law, the DPR special committee report
should be followed up by a police investigation to determine
whether Abdurrahman should be tried in court.

Sahetapy, a House member, said Abdurrahman could be
investigated by the police while he was still in power.

Sharing his opinion, Satjipto said that the commission's
report was a political product. "Proper evidence is imperative or
the court will turned the case down."

However, political observer J. Kristiadi said that the
President could not be questioned, let alone sentenced, since all
judicial institutions were subordinate to him.

Kristiadi also said the President had lost credibility and
might choose to step down to save face, or strike back at his
political foes.

"However, I don't believe he will take these options. Our
political elite has proven to be fair and politically mature.
They will not fight each other over this matter, whereas Gus
Dur's mistake this time is considerably small compared to
corruption cases of the past," he said.

National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro said that the
police force would remain loyal to the presidential institution,
regardless of who the president was.

Minister of Maritime Affairs Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said the
Cabinet was deeply concerned about what was going on.

Sarwono, once Golkar secretary-general, asserted that people
must respect the presidential institution as well as the
legislative body.

"We have to remember that the demand for Gus Dur to resign
negates democracy itself. Why? Because Gus Dur is the first
democratically elected president in this country. It would be a
bad precedent for the next national leader," he said.

Commenting on the recent student rallies, he said the police
and military were much more mature in handling massive
demonstrations.

"But then again, the mass protests went ahead peacefully
because this time the security forces did not use provocateurs to
incite the protesters," Sarwono told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin said on Friday
that "students are entitled to stage protests and expressed their
criticism, but Gus Dur also cannot be forced to resign in an
unethical and inelegant way.

Political analyst Ichlasul Amal from Gadjah Mada University in
Yogyakarta on Friday suggested that President Abdurrahman Wahid
resign to end the political turmoil.

"Gus Dur's persistence in retaining his post could lead to
prolonged uncertainty because this political complication can
hardly be solved unless Gus Dur resigns," he said.

Amal, an associate of People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Speaker Amien Rais, said that Gus Dur's resignation could be the
shortest and easiest way to end political tension.

"Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri would legally take over
the post if Gus Dur was willing to resign."

Presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said in Jakarta on
Friday that the President was still supported by most of the
Indonesian people despite the House's endorsement of the report.

"I guess the delegitimation on him only comes from the House,
and not from the majority of the Indonesian people.

"The MPR has yet to withdraw its mandate from Gus Dur," Wimar
said.

"To date, I still confirm that the TNI (military) chief and
all of the chiefs of staff back Gus Dur. I heard the military
headquarters gave the members of the military/police faction the
freedom to decide on the Bulog and Brunei scandals."

Responding to the result of the House plenary session on
Thursday, Wimar said that Gus Dur had decided to go all out with
the reform agenda and not offer any compromises.

"Over the next three months, the government intends to act
sternly to bring the corruptors of the old regime to court at all
costs," Wimar said. (team)