Fourth faction rejects speech

Fourth faction rejects speech

JAKARTA (JP): The Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB)
faction became the fourth faction in the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) to reject President B.J. Habibie's accountability
speech, while the United Ummat Sovereignty faction stood alone on
Saturday in its outright acceptance of the speech.

Of the Assembly's 11 factions, four rejected the speech, one
accepted it and six factions failed to come down on one side or
the other, referring the speech to the Assembly commission which
will be formed to deliberate the speech.

As with the proceedings on Friday night, Habibie patiently sat
in front of the Assembly taking notes as the factions delivered
their views on his accountability speech.

Representing PDKB, Manasse Malo not only rejected Habibie's
speech, but also asked Habibie to voluntarily renounce his
presidential candidacy.

"We appeal for the readiness and sincerity of Bapak B.J.
Habibie to allow the people to emerge from this catastrophe while
maintaining the country's unity and tranquility," Malo said as he
read the faction's review to the Assembly's plenary session.

Malo's faction deplored Habibie's embarrassing record on human
rights, likening it to tragedies in Kosovo and Rwanda.

PDKB's rejection followed rejections by the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Indonesian
Nationhood and National Awakening Party (PKB) factions during
Friday's plenary session.

Four other factions -- the Golkar Party of Reform, United
Development, Reform and the Crescent Star -- expressed
reservations with Habibie's accountability speech on Friday, but
failed to formally accept or reject the speech.

Instead, they referred the accountability speech to the
Assembly commission for deliberation.

In his address on Saturday, Malo not only criticized Habibie's
record as head of state, but also referred back to Habibie's
record as state minister of research and technology and president
of state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT IPTN.

He even linked the banning of Tempo magazine in 1994 to
Habibie.

"Habibie is the golden boy of former president Soeharto, with
extraordinary power in managing state resources. President B.J.
Habibie's style in managing these resources is similar to
Soeharto's; no transparency or accountability," Malo said.

The United Ummat Sovereignty faction was the only faction
which openly accepted Habibie's speech, albeit with some
reservations.

Faction chairman Achmad Sjatari said it was unfair to demand
the President make significant changes to the economy and the
country's political system in such a short time in office.

"Habibie, as a human being, has weaknesses and made mistakes
in his efforts to accommodate the demands of the reform
movement," he said.

Sjatari said it was not the current administration but the
former New Order regime which should be blamed for the crises,
because the country's present situation was the result of
irregularities during the old regime.

The Indonesian Military/National Police and interest group
factions failed to reach definite conclusions in their overviews
on Saturday.

The 38-member Indonesian Military/National Police faction was
represented by Maj. Gen. Ide Ketut Astawa, who said that despite
some progress, Habibie's administration failed to significantly
remedy the country's prolonged economic and political crises.

He said his faction was particularly concerned with four
crucial points -- the East Timor issue, the Bank Bali scandal,
human rights violations and the suspension of the investigation
into the alleged corruption by former president Soeharto.

Astawa also called on the Assembly to find a peaceful and
comprehensive solution to East Timor.

"For 23 years, the military has paid a high price defending
East Timor's integration into Indonesian, but it is something the
military has to accept as part of its mission to defend the
nation," he said.

The government's decision to halt the investigation of former
president Soeharto was highlighted by the 65-member interest
group faction, which said Habibie was not serious in handling the
case.

Faction spokesman Achmad Zacky Siradj said Habibie and his
government failed to realize that allegations of corruption
involving Soeharto and his associates were not only a legal
matter, but also a political one.

He said the Attorney General's Office was pressured by certain
groups which did not want the former president to be brought to
trial.

In a related development, National Mandate Party (PAN) deputy
chairman Abdillah Toha said here on Saturday his party's central
board had asked its faction in the Assembly to reject Habibie's
speech.

"We are pushing the MPR to reject Habibie's accountability
speech because we feel that Habibie has failed to carry out the
people's mandate," he said.

PAN and the Justice Party make up the Reform faction, which on
Friday did not take a final position on the President's
accountability speech.

"This is a binding agreement to all PAN members," he said of
the directive. But when pressed further, he said it was difficult
to compel individual party members if it came to a vote on the
speech.

"I think after last night, morally, Habibie doesn't stand a
chance anymore," he said. (02/rms/prb)