Gus Dur proposes separation of executive powers
JAKARTA (JP): With fears of a deadlocked presidential election looming, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization Abdurrahman Wahid suggested on Friday a separation of power between the head of government and the head of state.
Abdurrahman, who is better known as Gus Dur, said the head of state should only perform protocol tasks, while the head of government should carry out functional duties.
The 700-member People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is slated to convene in November to, among other things, elect a president and vice president.
"The president will then be the head of government, who will be elected by the MPR, while the tasks of the head of state will be performed by the MPR Speaker, who will also be chosen by the MPR," Gus Dur said.
He said the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Megawati Soekarnoputri might win the elections, but that any bid made to govern the state would face huge opposition.
"What will happen to her leadership and to this country if 40 percent of Indonesian people are against her?" he said.
Abdurrahman, also the National Awakening Party (PKB) founder, said the idea of separating protocol from functional duties came after a thorough evaluation of articles in the 1945 Constitution and intense consultation with several constitutional law experts.
He denied intending to amend the Constitution.
"The idea cannot be considered an amendment to the 1945 Constitution. It's just an interpretation of the Constitution."
The Constitution confers on a president a sweeping range of protocol and administrative prerogatives.
In April, chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Yusril Ihza Mahendra suggested a similar mechanism to avoid a deadlock in the presidential election.
Yusril cited the parliamentary administration system in the early years of Indonesia's independence when Soekarno was president, Mohammad Hatta, the vice president and Sutan Sjahrir, the prime minister.
Abdurrahman, however, declined to disclose the eligible persons for the two posts, saying the winning party would decide the matter.
He said he supported Megawati, but could not guarantee all PKB members would follow suit.
"I told Mbak Mega not to force me to guarantee her that PKB members will follow me."
While the executive board of the NU has yet to issue an official statement, a member of the Syuriah (the lawmaking body) Noer Iskandar said on Friday any statement made by NU officials should be considered a personal comment only.
"I hope all NU members will remain patient and will not be influenced by rumors," he told The Jakarta Post.
Muslim leaders have recently criticized PDI Perjuangan for naming many non-Muslim legislative candidates and a woman presidential candidate.
Habibie meeting
Abdurrahman also said he met President B.J. Habibie at the President's residence in Patra Kuningan subdistrict, South Jakarta, on Friday and discussed preparations for the General Session of the MPR.
"I discussed with Pak Habibie reconciliation efforts after the general election is over and the nation waits to elect a new president in November."
With the MPR General Session approaching, intensive meetings among officials of leading parties have been held in the past few days to discuss the possibility of establishing coalitions.
Parties with the most votes -- Golkar, the PKB, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP) -- indicated that they were willing to coalesce with PDI Perjuangan.
Megawati said she would not comment on the offers until the nationwide official tally of the votes was completed.
"I'll tell you what we'll do after we get the official overall tally," she told the Post and the Forum Keadilan weekly at her house in Kebagusan subdistrict, South Jakarta, on Friday.
As of Friday 8:30 p.m., the General Elections Commission (KPU) estimated PDI Perjuangan had obtained 19.7 million votes, with an estimated 66 House of Representatives seats. Golkar closed in on the second-placed National Awakening Party (PKB) in the vote tally, but were tied in the race for House seats, with 28 each.
A PDI Perjuangan source said it would have to consider the level of its popular support before accepting any coalition proposal.
Golkar's chief treasurer Fadel Muhammad said on Thursday a Golkar-PDI Perjuangan pact would be an ideal coalition to form a new government.(prb/45/imn)