Golkar not out for special session: Akbar

Golkar not out for special session: Akbar

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung reiterated
on Friday his party had no intention of changing the Annual
Session of the People's Consultative Assembly to a special
session which could impeach the President.

"We are not of a mind to change the Annual Session to a
special session," Akbar, who also is speaker of the House of
Representatives, said when discussing his party's position ahead
of Monday's start to the Annual Session.

He said the Assembly would listen to and evaluate the progress
reports by President Abdurrahman Wahid, the House and other state
institutions.

Akbar said Golkar Party's evaluations would be aimed at
improving the performance of the government.

On the country's economic recovery, he said his party would
highlight that the state of the economy still left much to be
desired.

"Although the fundamental economics and economic growth show
improvement, we still think the economy has yet to really begin
its recovery since the improvements were only triggered by the
consumer sector," he said.

He said Golkar also would underline the President's
controversial style of leadership during the session. However, he
said the party would not bring up the Bulog and Brunei scandals
because they already were discussed in the House.

Commenting on the spate of violence targeting Golkar Party and
its supporters, such as the burning of party flags, Akbar said
the party would go through legal channels to settle the problem.

He said demands that Golkar Party, which was used by former
authoritarian president Soeharto as his political vehicle, be
banned were undemocratic.

"People cannot ignore that we secured a significant number of
votes during last year's general election," he remarked.

Separately, dozens of students from Gen. Soedirman University
and the Purwokerto Islamic Institute staged a rally in
Purwokerto, Central Java, to condemn Golkar. During the rally on
Friday, a number of protesters burned the party's yellow flag.

"We should be aware of Golkar and its cronies, which are
trying to return to power," rally coordinator Uyi said in a
speech.

The students marched along a five-kilometer route from their
campuses to the city square, unfurling banners condemning Golkar
during the four-hour rally.(45/jun)