Golkar has no plan to topple President: Akbar
Golkar has no plan to topple President: Akbar
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party has no plan to join the ranks of
critics demanding the resignation of President Abdurrahman Wahid,
its chairman Akbar Tandjung said on Thursday.
"Golkar will never unseat the President, but instead will
continuously criticize him for the government's poor
performance," Akbar, also the House of Representatives Speaker,
remarked.
He said the conclusion of last weekend's informal meeting
between legislators which demanded Abdurrahman's removal,
represented their personal views.
The legislators, some of them from Golkar, announced on
Wednesday they would ask their respective factions to file a
memorandum asking the People's Consultative Assembly to reprimand
the President over the way he runs the government.
Although some of its members attended the meeting, the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has
pledged to support Abdurrahman until his term ends in 2004.
PDI Perjuangan and Golkar hold between them more than half of
the House's 500 seats.
Chairman of the Abdurrahman's National Awakening party (PKB)
faction Taufikurrahman Saleh agreed with Akbar, saying the
outcome of the meeting could not represent the House.
"It's just an emotional expression of certain legislators who
are disappointed with the government," Taufikurrahman said.
He suggested the legislators find solutions to the country's
innumerable problems, rather than just repeatedly calling on the
President to step down.
Legislators from PKB and the Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police
faction skipped Saturday's meeting which was sponsored by former
coordinating minister for economics, finance and industry Kwik
Kian Gie.
As previously predicted, the meeting became a forum for
certain outspoken legislators to list a litany of mistakes as
justification to ask for Abdurrahman's resignation.
PBB
No faction has so far officially proposed for a memorandum
against Abdurrahman as recommended by the meeting.
The Crescent and Star Party (PBB), through its faction
chairman Ahmad Sumargono, expressed on Thursday its intention to
take action on the meeting's recommendations.
"We should follow up the results of the meeting. People will
be angry if we do not," Sumargono remarked. He said his faction
has yet to formally receive a report from its members attending
the meeting.
House Deputy Speaker A.M. Fatwa said his Reform faction would
just follow the major factions, namely Golkar and PDI Perjuangan.
"We should discuss it together. We should wait for Golkar and
PDI Perjuangan," Fatwa, who is also deputy chairman of the
National Mandate Party (PAN), remarked.
He denied reports of his party's nomination of its chairman
Amien Rais for vice presidency if Abdurrahman resigns.
Amien, who is also the Speaker of the People's Consultative
Assembly, expressed his readiness to take the vice presidential
job in response to a reporter's question, Fatwa said.
"Pak Amien just indicated his readiness if it's needed for the
good of the nation," Fatwa contended.
He said his party would nominate United Development Party
(PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz for the vice presidency if Megawati
replaces Abdurrahman as the president.
Meanwhile, political observer Muh. A.S. Hikam played down on
Thursday the resignation calls directed at Abdurrahman.
"I think there is no serious threat in such a motion. It's
part of the growing pains of our reform. Such a call is actually
meaningless as it has been exaggerated by the media," Hikam, who
is also the State Minister for Research and Technology, said.
He said a meeting outside the House would result in people's
disrespect for formal institutions as a venue to channel their
aspirations.
Many of the political elite in the parliament have run out of
issues and are prone to making sensational remarks to show that
they are working, according to Hikam.
"It's not fair to ask a person to resign on baseless grounds,"
he added. (jun/edt)