Controversy over Wiranto intensifies

JAKARTA (JP): The discourse on whether Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen. Wiranto should resign over the East Timor debacle snowballed on Thursday, amid fears about a further plunge of the rupiah resulting from the political tension.

A financial market observer, Theo Toemion, expected the Indonesian currency to break the Rp 8,000 level against the greenback by next week if Wiranto's status remained uncertain.

"President Abdurrahman Wahid's plan to dismiss Wiranto has caused anxiety among dealers who are expecting a strong man to either comply with or resist the President's order," Theo told Antara.

Theo said the fall of rupiah would continue, due to the fact that Abdurrahman, who is on a whirlwind trip to Europe, would not return home until Feb. 13.

After slipping to Rp 7,700 against the U.S. dollar in early Asian trade, its lowest level since mid-October, the rupiah ended at Rp 7,660, down from Rp 7,520 late on Wednesday.

Theo, who is also a House of Representatives legislator representing the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), warned that the country's fate was at stake if the government failed to cope with the stand-off between Abdurrahman and Wiranto.

A caucus of young politicians, meanwhile, hailed on Thursday Abdurrahman's demand for Wiranto's resignation.

The group's spokesman, Heri Achmadi of PDI Perjuangan, said all sides, including Wiranto and his supporters, should respect the President's prerogative and his strong commitment to the rule of law.

"We should support Gus Dur's legitimate government and Wiranto is also expected to do the same to calm down the political situation at home," he told a news conference here, referring to the President by his popular name.

Abdurrahman has said he would ask Wiranto to leave the Cabinet following the National Commission on Human Rights' (Komnas HAM) recent recommendation to the government to investigate five generals, including Wiranto, for their alleged involvement in the violence that swept East Timor after the Aug. 30 ballot.

Wiranto was the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief when violence and destruction flared up in East Timor last year.

The caucus included House deputy speaker Muhaimin Iskandar, Ali Masjkur Musa of the People's Awakening Party (PKB), Bara Hasibuan of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Meilono Suwondo from PDI Perjuangan.

Muhaimin said Wiranto should be nonactive to allow a fair investigation into the human rights abuses.

"It will be difficult for the Attorney General's Office to conduct an investigation while Wiranto still holds his current post," he said.

"But if Wiranto is found not guilty in court, he should retain his job."

Muhaimin said the President's decision was also aimed at preventing an international tribunal to try TNI top brass on charges of human rights abuses.

While both Bara and Ali asserted that the group's stance would be identical to that of their respective parties, Heri said his faction at the House had yet to announce its official stance on the matter.

"But, the PDI Perjuangan faction is expected to support the President's decision for the sake off law enforcement," he said.

Meanwhile, Amin Aryoso and Postdam Hutasoit, both PDI Perjuangan legislators, said their faction would entrust the Wiranto affair to the President.

"It depends on the President whether he will fire or ask him to resign. It is the President's prerogative to do so. The most important thing is that the government follows up the commission's report fairly," Postdam said.

Amin said not only Wiranto and the other four generals, but former president B.J. Habibie should be investigated because the ballot proposal came from Habibie.

Separately, criminologist Mulyana W. Kusumah said there was no reason for Wiranto to step down until the Attorney General's Office completed the formal investigation.

"Wiranto should be nonactive only if he is declared as suspect," he said on the sidelines of a seminar here.

Political observer Affan Gafar, who also spoke at the seminar, regretted that the President announced his plan to ask Wiranto to resign while abroad.

"The President should have waited until he was at home, as his move has drawn mixed interpretations," Affan said.

He also said it was unnecessary for Wiranto to resign until the court proved him guilty. (rms/jun)