Gus Dur must 'resign or be impeached'

Gus Dur must 'resign or be impeached'

JAKARTA (JP): The nation will only evade ruin resulting from
the prolonged economic and political crises and the threat of
disintegration if President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid steps
down, legislators concluded on Saturday.

The lawmakers, who attended an informal meeting sponsored by
former coordinating minister for economy, finance and industry
Kwik Kian Gie, offered the President two ways to exit:
resignation or impeachment through constitutional means.

They also asked for Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
readiness to step into the number one position.

Sutradara Gintings of the Indonesian Unity and Nationhood
faction at the House of Representatives said the present
government's biggest failure was the fact that it could no longer
guarantee a feeling of security among the people. He said there
was an absence of public confidence in the government.

"We are now in a 'governmentless' situation and on the verge
of collapse," he said in his address to some 200 House and
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) legislators in a meeting
hall at Niaga Tower on Jl. Sudirman, South Jakarta.

The country, he said, is in a state of crisis as bloody
violence in several provinces and economic and political
instability continue unabated. These have forced the nation to
choose between survival and developing a democratic system.

"It is useless to continue our efforts to build a democratic
system while facing disintegration," Sutradara said, referring to
the rampant violence in Aceh, Maluku, North Maluku and Irian
Jaya.

The former Golkar legislator said he was particularly
disappointed with the President's failure to fulfill his promise
to implement the 2000 MPR decree on the delegation of the day-to-
day government tasks to Megawati.

"The President has issued a decree, which gives only clerical
jobs to the Vice President while maintaining his domination over
the administration," he said.

Another legislator, Asnawi Latief, called on the legislators
to issue a political recommendation for the legislative body to
call for an MPR special session to impeach the President because
of the way Gus Dur leads the nation.

"If the President declines to step down, he should be forced
to do so through an MPR special session," he said.

He conceded that the present situation was a collective
mistake committed by factions at the Assembly, which elected
Abdurrahman as president last year.

Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the moderator of the discussion,
accepted that all were to blame for "the collective sin" even
though his faction's members voted for Megawati, not Gus Dur.

MPR legislator Theo Sambuaga of Golkar concurred. He said the
House should call for a special session to impeach Gus Dur
because of his inability to implement the 1999 State Policy
Guidelines and solve numerous major problems facing the country.

He said he appreciated the growing calls for the President's
resignation but insisted "it would be better to press him (Gus
Dur) to step down through constitutional means."

Meanwhile, Bachtiar Chamsyah of the United Development Party
(PPP) faction called on political parties to stay alert to the
possibility of political maneuvers by the Indonesian Military
(TNI) at such a crunching time for the nation.

"Political parties must stand united to ensure TNI is left out
of the national political arena," he said.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung and legislators representing the
TNI and National Awakening Party (PKB) factions were absent from
the meeting.

Alvin Lie, a member of the Reform faction, asked attendants to
seek Megawati's confirmation of her readiness for the top post.

"I'm optimistic Indonesia will be able to defuse the crisis
provided Megawati does not make mistakes similar to the ones Gus
Dur has made," he said, adding that all parties could cooperate
to support Megawati if she was ready to be president.

The Reform faction, under the leadership of MPR Speaker Amien
Rais, masterminded the nomination of Abdurrahman at Megawati's
expense in last year's presidential election.

Many other legislators also questioned whether Megawati was
ready to take over, drawing a positive response from PDI
Perjuangan legislators.

Soetardjo confirmed Megawati was ready and capable.

"Certainly, Megawati is ready for it and will be able to do
the presidential tasks," he said.

Megawati ordered recently all PDI Perjuangan members to
support the present government until the end of its term in 2004.
(rms)