East Java prepares for backlash on calls for MPR special session

SURABAYA (JP): The latest political cacophony to erupt in the capital has been met with a variety of reactions from other cities, with most urging calm and some calling for political protagonists to step down.

Businessman Alim Markus, who is chairman of the Bhakti Persatuan foundation, a Chinese-Indonesia group in East Java, in anticipation of a possible exodus abroad of ethnic Chinese in the province.

"I ask them (all ethnic Chinese) to remain calm because security personnel have done their best to ensure security. If we panic, foreigners will become confused and our image before the international community will be tarnished," Alim said on Friday.

Alim, the owner of giant plastic household products manufacturer Maspion Group, was responding to questions from journalists on the surge in demand for passports at the provincial immigration office.

"I don't know about that. The increase may have no relation to the special session," he remarked.

An official at Surabaya's immigration office claimed that there was about a 10 percent increase in passport applications from Chinese-Indonesians in the province.

According to the official, who asked not to be named, many had admitted they were applying for passports just in case widespread unrest erupted in the province.

Police claim that specific arrangements had been made for Chinese-Indonesians and expatriates in Surabaya.

However in neighboring Pasuruan, a town where there is many foreign-investment companies, local police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wakin said security arrangements were still being drafted.

He did not give details of the possible arrangements.

In Bandung, academics and professionals grouped in the Bandung Forum urged the government, members of the House of Representative and the People's Consultative Assembly to all resign in order to end the prolonged political impasse.

"The current political situation is very dangerous. To end the deadlock, the government should resign and the legislative bodies be dissolved," the forum's deputy chairman Hendarmin Ranadireksa told reporters on Friday.

The forum comprises senior academics from state Padjajaran University and the Bandung Institute of Technology.

Hendarmin said the opportunity should be given to the winner of 1999 general election, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), to run a "caretaker" government.

"Our proposal is the easiest and most acceptable solution," Hendarmin said.

As a caretaker government, PDI Perjuangan should prepare for general elections before 2003, the forum stated.

Another member of the forum, Sudjana Sapiie, said direct elections would be the most appropriate and realistic form of presidential elections to be held.

"Such a poll would be costly but I think it would be more effective because what most people want would be known right away," said Sudjana, who is also a member of the Rectors Forum.

Meanwhile in Purbalingga, Central Java, the Air Force Operation Command's Rear Marshall Sutrisno SP said his command was ready at any time to "evacuate members of the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly, should the situation turn ugly."

"We are awaiting orders from the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief," Sutrisno said.

"Around two companies of the Air Force's elite Paskhas AU are also ready to move at any time," Sutrisno said. (nur/25/45)