Gus Dur says 'no' to House summons

Gus Dur says 'no' to House summons

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid cold-shouldered a
summons on Tuesday to appear before the House of Representatives
(DPR) special committee for questioning over two alleged
financial scandals.

On Monday, the 50-member House special committee said it would
summon the President and other senior officials over allegations
of mishandling of some Rp 35 billion (US$ 4.2 million) at the
State Logistic Agency (Bulog) and his acceptance outside
government channels of a US$2 million donation from the Sultan of
Brunei for humanitarian aid to restive Aceh province.

"I am going to deliver a written answer," Abdurrahman told a
news conference after six hours of a closed-door meeting with the
House top brass led by speaker Akbar Tandjung at the State
Palace.

"I am not a person who can be summoned except by the House
plenary session and (the summons) should be concerned with
(allegations of) treason," Abdurrahman added, referring to a full
sitting of the 500-member House.

Since Abdurrahman came to power last year he has had numerous
showdowns with the empowered House, and the threat of another
battle is feared to heighten political uncertainty in the
country.

Earlier in the day, the House special committee announced it
would summon some 30 people, including Abdurrahman, over the two
alleged scandals.

The committee remains undecided, however, as to when to call
the President, better known as Gus Dur.

Speaking to reporters after the committee's closed-door
meeting, head of the committee Bachtiar Chamsyah appeared to be
backtracking on the plan to summon Abdurrahman as he said the
committee would only question the President if there was enough
evidence.

Bachtiar said earlier that the inquiry would also be conducted
on Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli, Attorney
General Marzuki Darusman, Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab and former
industry and trade minister Yusuf Kalla.

Quoting the 1999 Law on the composition and status of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), House and regional
legislatures, Bachtiar said all citizens should answer the House
summons or face a one-year jail sentence.

Bachtiar admitted that during the meeting, there had been a
fierce debate and strong opposition against the plan to summon
the President from the National Awakening Party (PKB), which was
co-founded by Abdurrahman.

Police chief

The House leaders held marathon talks with Abdurrahman on
Tuesday over a range of issues, including last month's dismissal
of the National Police chief without consulting the House, the
continuing violence in the country's troubled provinces, fears of
unrest over the recent 12 percent hike in fuel prices and
Abdurrahman's planned visit to Australia.

"The meeting was very open, brotherly and we were critical
toward one another," Abdurrahman said after the meeting.

"We hope these meetings can be developed further in a bid to
enhance our democratic culture. Needless to say, there were
faults on both sides."

Commenting on his decision to replace Gen. Rusdihardjo with
Gen. Surojo Bimantoro as national police chief without consulting
the House, Abdurrahman said the move was taken to prevent the UN
Security Council from sending a mission to West Timor.

The UN plan was made in the wake of the murder of three UN
relief workers blamed on pro-integration East Timorese militias
in the border town of Atambua on Sept. 6.

DPR said the replacement violated an MPR decree which
stipulates that any replacement of the top leaders of the
national police and the armed forces should be made in
consultation with the House.

Abdurrahman said the decree had yet to have its implementation
regulations formulated and therefore he could still act in line
with the law.

"I will send a letter to the council (the DPR) to explain to
the council what caused me to appoint a new police chief,"
Abdurrahman said.

Akbar later said that DPR might consider the case settled if
the President requested approval for his move to replace
Rusdihardjo.

"If, in the near future, Gus Dur says: I will ask for an
approval by sending a letter, then maybe the House might consider
the case closed," Akbar said.

The President also said on Tuesday that "it remains to be
seen" whether he would still pursue his planned visit to
Australia.

He noted that "sovereignty" of the country must be taken into
consideration before making a trip to Australia.

"It all depends on our own analysis whether they (Australians)
have changed their attitude or not ... if there's no change, then
we will heed the DPR," Abdurrahman said.

DPR had earlier called on the President to delay his visit to
Australia until after Australia's Prime Minister John Howard
makes a trip to Jakarta.

The volatile ties between Jakarta and Canberra nose dived last
year after Australia led an international force into East Timor
in September to halt the violence there after the territory's
people voted for independence.

Abdurrahman initially planned to visit Australia in May, but
canceled the trip because of resentment in Indonesia over
Australia's key role in the breakaway of East Timor from
Indonesia. (byg/jun)