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)