Compromise fading, leaders talk tough

JAKARTA (JP): Hopes for a compromise to ease the ongoing political impasse began to wear down on Tuesday, as political leaders hardened their tone and altered their focus toward impeachment.

Key figures such as President Abdurrahman Wahid, Vice President Megawati and House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung displayed on Tuesday no hint that a deal was at hand.

Members of the team of seven ministers, tasked with negotiating a compromise, kept a low profile on Tuesday with one minister even conceding a split between Abdurrahman and Megawati.

Abdurrahman, who had been adamant that he would not resign from the presidency, openly discussed, for the first time, the prospect of impeachment.

The President charged that he would run for reelection as president in 2004 if he was removed in a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

"If, as a consequence, a special session to impeach the President must be held, then let it go ahead, I'm not afraid of that," Abdurrahman told an audience at the National Resilience Institute at Bina Graha presidential office.

Forebodingly, Abdurrahman warned that he would promptly launch a reelection offensive if he were to be "humiliated".

"If that happens, I will campaign immediately for reelection at the next election because I will have been publicly humiliated," he said without elaborating on his "reelection campaign" tactics.

He further warned he was not "bluffing" when he said that several provinces would proclaim independence if he was removed.

He added that the number of provinces threatening to break away had risen from five to six.

"So, it's not that I don't want to resign," the President said, adding that this must be taken into consideration.

It was unclear, however, what prompted Abdurrahman to issue such a statement.

Meanwhile, Megawati, during a rally in Pekanbaru, Riau, attended by thousands of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), led a chorus which clearly spelt out the party's intentions.

She rallied the crowd with three simple questions:

"Do you want an expedited election?" Megawati asked the crowd.

"No," the sea of red supporters replied.

"Do you, in accordance with the results of the PDI Perjuangan congress in Bali, want Megawati Soekarnoputri to become president through constitutional means?"

"Yes!"

Megawati flashed a big smile.

Finally, asking them whether a PDI Perjuangan cadre would resort to violence? The crowd responded "no".

Split

Abdurrahman has till the end of the month to respond to a memorandum of censure issued by the House after which a special session of the Assembly can be called to seek his accountability.

A small team of Cabinet ministers, under the stewardship of Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have been trying to formulate a deal which would enable a greater delegation of executive power to the Vice President and secure Abdurrahman's role as head of state.

It is unclear whether Tuesday's hardened statements may be a harbinger on the fate of the compromise or merely political actors posturing in order to raise the negotiation stakes.

What was clear was that on his return from Thailand, on Tuesday morning, not a single minister was present at the airport to greet the President. Only the National Police chief, the Indonesian Military chief and the head of the State Intelligence Coordinating Board were present.

House speaker Akbar Tandjung, who in the past has taken a more conservative line, changed his tone altogether on Tuesday saying that if a special session was convened it would be to ask for an assessment of the President's accountability, which, in all likelihood, would be rejected.

"When it is rejected there is no other solution other than the replacement of the national leader...The Vice President will become the president," Akbar remarked.

"We all know that most of the Assembly members are House members so the conclusion will be the same," he added.

All 500 House members are also members of the 700-seat Assembly.

He still, however, left a small window of hope ajar, implying that a political compromise may yet save the presidency.

The only other option would be resignation, Akbar remarked.

"Whatever it is, it must be decided before the House plenary session at the end of this month," he said.

"The transfer of authority and a Cabinet reshuffle, under the management of Ibu Megawati, would be a low-cost solution for the country that we are trying to offer," he added.

Minister of Defense Mahfud MD, a member of the team of seven ministers, also admitted that Abdurrahman and Megawati are no longer united.

He added that the Cabinet dearly wished to see the pair united again and working together: "We (ministers) admit the two leaders are split, we're worried about polarization at the community level." (dja/byg)