Dialog is crucial to prevent chaos: Bambang

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that a meeting between the country's top leaders should proceed to prevent chaos generated by the prolonged political impasse.

Susilo said signs of political chaos in the country had emerged and it was therefore imperative that the main four political leaders sit down together to resolve their problems.

"If (the meeting) comes about from a clean conscience and with the spirit of settling fundamental problems, and not to achieve a short-term target for a certain group, there will be benefits," he said.

He was speaking after a weekly breakfast gathering at the official residence of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta. President Abdurrahman Wahid and defense minister Mahfud MD were also present.

In a bid to end the protracted political stalemate, embattled Abdurrahman has proposed a meeting between himself, Megawati, House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais.

The four met in Yogyakarta in August last year, just before the Assembly's annual session which saw Abdurrahman survive his toughest test.

Susilo suggested that the political standoff be quickly addressed through peaceful and constitutional means.

He added that the issue of the planned meeting was sidelined during the breakfast, which highlighted the country's security affairs in general.

When asked whether the meeting should include a discussion of a successor to the President, Susilo said the meeting's agenda had not been decided yet.

"There are many proposals on the meeting's agenda, but let the political elite decide the correct formula," he said.

Akbar has said the power-sharing scheme between the President and Vice President should be a priority of the proposed meeting.

Deputy secretary-general of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Pramono Anung welcomed on Wednesday Akbar's proposal, saying the power-sharing formula would be the best solution to the current political crisis.

"But it should be agreed upon in the form of political convention as we have pledged not to amend the 1945 Constitution only for short-term political interests," he said.

He said the meeting should be held before the House convened to decide whether to censure the President a second time at the end of this month.

Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who brokered the last meeting between the country's top four political leaders, was pessimistic that another meeting between the four would generate a political breakthrough.

Speaking to journalists after addressing a discussion on the environment, Hamengkubuwono said he was reluctant to organize another meeting.

"There is no use bringing them together if the result is going to be the same as their last meeting," he said, referring to the earlier meeting the four held at his palace.

Despite his readiness to attend the meeting, Amien expressed his skepticism, saying that the event could obtain nothing but broad media coverage.

"I'm afraid the meeting will spark the anger of students and people, who will accuse us of engaging in a drama," he said on the sidelines of a mass prayer in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

He insisted that the Assembly special session was the only way to solve the long-standing political bickering.

"Only a miracle that will save Abdurrahman from the second memorandum of censure, which may be handed down either at the end of this month or early in May," he said. Amien also heads the National Mandate Party.

Separately, Matori Abdul Djalil, deputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly who also chairs the National Awakening Party (PKB) which was founded by Abdurrahman, said Megawati wanted a peaceful and democratic solution to the current political conflict.

"Mbak Mega wants all sides to stick to the Constitution and democracy in seeking a peaceful solution to the political tension. All sides are also expected to exercise wisdom and avoid physical clashes so that nobody will lose face," he said on Wednesday.

Matori was speaking about topics discussed at his informal meeting with Megawati on Tuesday.

He said that Megawati, also chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), hoped her party and PKB would continue their close relations, despite their difference stands on the financial scandals that led the House to issue its first memorandum of censure against the President.

Asked to comment on the planned meeting between the four top political figures, Matori said both Abdurrahman and Megawati were ready to solve the conflict in accordance with peaceful and democratic principles.(02/23/27/dja/rms)