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)