Factions' moves to hasten special session cool down
JAKARTA (JP): Major political parties begin to display a lack of confidence in their bid to expedite the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly.
Top leaders of Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP) and National Mandate Party (PAN) admitted on Monday there were no strong reasons to accelerate the session, which was originally scheduled to start on Aug. 1.
The Assembly has asked President Abdurrahman Wahid to present his accountability speech during the session.
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said his party deemed that the original itinerary for the session was likely to remain unchanged.
"If there are no actions from the President that violate the State Policy Guidelines, then there is no reason to move forward the special session," Akbar, who is also the House of Representatives Speaker, said.
Akbar asserted that the decision to expedite the special session was in the hands of the Assembly working committee, which also holds the authority to supervise the government.
"The Assembly working committee must assess the government's performance and report to the Assembly leaders, before it discusses anything about an accelerated special session," Akbar said.
PAN chairman and Assembly Speaker Amien Rais reiterated that it was too early to discuss the possibility of speeding up the special session, saying that the issue was so far limited to a discourse between major political parties.
"It (the expedited special session) is too early to materialize," Amien said, adding there had been no formal talks on the matter.
He admitted, however, that five major factions aired the possibility of accelerating the special session during a recent consultative meeting between the Assembly working committee and Assembly leaders, but the issue was not discussed.
Amien said that none of the factions had provided an official letter requesting a hastened special session to the Assembly working committee.
"Let the discussion continue among the parties. If it turns out that the request receives more support then of course the Assembly leadership will not ignore the call," he said.
Leaders of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar Party, PPP, PAN and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) have held several meetings to seek a constitutional basis to expedite the special session.
The President's intention to declare a state of emergency, his decision to suspend the National Police chief and approval of investigation into alleged graft involving his political foes have sparked the idea of accelerating the MPR special session.
Assembly decree No.2/2000 stipulates a minimum two months of preparation for a special session to take place.
Separately, PPP secretary-general Alimarwan Hanan said that major parties no longer discussed the call to expedite the special session.
"We will leave it to the MPR working committee to decide the right time and agenda of the special session, considering the current developments in the country," Alimarwan told The Jakarta Post.
Alimarwan said in the latest meeting between secretary generals of the parties on Sunday night, the five major parties agreed to ensure that the special session would end the country's problems.
"We want to make sure that the special session will give a positive solution for everybody, so no one will be disgraced and the decision can be accepted by the people," he further said.
"All we want now is a successful special session that could convene peacefully and honorably," Alimarwan added.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Finance's Director General of Budget Anshari Ritonga said that the government and the House have yet to discuss the budget for the special session.
"We have allocated Rp 20 billion to finance the annual session. When it comes to the special session, we have just agreed on its financial source and not the amount of funds," Anshari said as quoted by Antara. (dja)