DPR plenary session could be relocated

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Top legislators agreed on Tuesday that a House of Representatives (DPR) plenary session later this month could be held outside the capital due to security concerns.

The decision came as questions of how to control President Abdurrahman Wahid's diehard supporters, tens of thousands of members of ready-to-die forces, loomed large ahead of the session, scheduled for April 30.

The House plenary meeting would decide whether to issue a second censure motion against Abdurrahman.

Despite police warnings of a crackdown, hundreds of the President's supporters are undergoing "war" training in East Java prior to their trip to Jakarta, raising fears of more violence.

They are expected to flood Jakarta on April 29 to join a rally in support of Abdurrahman.

"If security conditions worsen in the capital, then we have all agreed to move the plenary session somewhere else, perhaps to Bandung," Arifin Panigoro, leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction at the DPR, said at the House faction convention in Bali on Tuesday.

The informal meeting took place at Hotel Imperial, where Arifin is one of its shareholders.

Some have suggested that Arifin was in Bali to fine-tune the draft of the second memorandum of censure against Abdurrahman.

Several key legislators who were also present in Bali said earlier in the day that at least seven House factions had agreed to pass the second censure motion against the beleaguered President on May 1.

PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung was more guarded, however, saying that the party would only announce its final position on whether to issue the second censure against Abdurrahman on April 29.

Speaking after the party's weekly meeting at its headquarters in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, Pramono said the party's stance was still being discussed by an eight-member team.

The team comprised Dwi Ria Latifa, former chief economic minister Kwik Kian Gie, Jacob Tobing, Sukowaluyo, Didi Supriyanto, Julius Usman, Tarto Sudiro, and Alex Litaay.

Rumors were rife that Tarto and Alex were against the second censure motion.

Pramono was quick to dismiss the rumors saying that "the team remains solid."

When asked whether the party had been given the green light by party leader Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to issue the second memorandum, Pramono said, "I don't know what's on Ibu Mega's mind. She just asks us to avoid violence."

The DPR issued the first memorandum of censure against the President in February for his alleged involvement in two financial scandals.

The move is likely to lead to an impeachment process against Abdurrahman.

Arrogant

Earlier in the day, Abdurrahman accused mutinous House legislators of failing to understand the country's Constitution.

"The government cannot be held accountable for its performance," Abdurrahman told an audience during a visit to the East Java city of Malang.

"The government can only be impeached or put on trial if it has committed treason. They (legislators) apparently do not understand the Constitution," he said during a lecture at a state Islamic high school in Malang.

Abdurrahman branded the legislators "arrogant" for asking him to account for his performance as president, adding that they could only demand his accountability at the end of his five-year mandate and before the next election.

He said the arrogance of the legislators was not confined to the capital, but was evident amongst regional counterparts as well.

"(East Java governor) Imam Utomo has complained that recently sworn in local lawmakers are already requesting mobile phones before having done anything," Abdurrahman said.

East Java is Abdurrahman's political heartland and home to millions of members of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), a Muslim organization which Abdurrahman led for 15 years.

A member of Rector's Forum, Rady A. Gani, of Hasanuddin University announced that President Abdurrahman Wahid has agreed to attend a national meeting of university rectors. The aim is to facilitate a meeting between the country's four top leaders.

The national meeting of rectors will be held on April 25 and 26 in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar. "Since the four leaders failed to meet in Jakarta, they now have the opportunity to meet at our event here," Rady told the media after a meeting with the Governor of South Sulawesi, HZB. Palaguna, on Tuesday. (02/27/zen/nur/byg)