Gus Dur under fire at MPR

Gus Dur under fire at MPR

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid came under fire on
Tuesday from virtually every faction in the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) for what they judged to be a lackluster first 10
months in office.

Censure came from all fronts and touched on almost all aspects
of his presidency, from his poor management skills, lack of
urgency in resolving threatening national issues, habit of
blurting out confusing and contradictory comments to his
unsatisfactory progress in the economic field.

In their closing statements, the United Development Party,
Reform and Crescent Star factions all asked Abdurrahman if he was
still capable of carrying out his heavy duties as president.

The two largest factions, the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the Golkar Party, were the last to
speak in the proceedings chaired by Assembly Speaker Amien Rais.

The Golkar faction was particularly stinging in its
criticisms:

"The Golkar faction candidly state that it is unsatisfied and
disappointed with the performance of the President," faction
spokesman Asep R. Sujana said reading the faction's response.

"There are no signs of significant improvement in the economy,
something which may be caused by the President's inability to
develop administrative management and good leadership."

Golkar further charged that the President lacked vision and
clear perception of the essence of the State Policy Guidelines
and the reform agenda.

The PDI Perjuangan faction attacked the government for not
only being slow in eradicating collusion, corruption and
nepotism, but also for falling into the same trap itself.

The faction also noted a weakening of presidential authority
due to what it saw as the abuse of some of the Presidents's
personal physical incapacities and his stature as a kiai Muslim
preacher.

Nevertheless, the faction still expressed support for the
steps the President has pledged to improve the running of
government.

Each of the 11 factions were allocated 30 minutes to read
their responses to the progress reports of the President and the
four other high state institutions -- the House of
Representatives, the State Audit Agency, the Supreme Advisory
Council and the Supreme Court -- that were presented to the
Assembly on Monday.

The responses however focused mostly on the President's
report.

Abdurrahman sat patiently through the proceedings, which
lasted until about 11.30 p.m.

In its response read by Burhanuddin Somawinata, the United
Development (PPP) faction had no qualms about questioning
Abdurrahman's leadership qualities.

The speaker reminded Abdurrahman that his election in October
was only due to an emergency situation to avoid national
disintegration.

"He was the only acceptable figure to most factions at that
time to prevent the country from disintegrating. We thought he
could gradually solve the multidimensional crisis we had,"
Burhanuddin said in the prepared speech.

"PPP, however, is disappointed as the President has failed to
provide a solid program to rescue the nation after 10 months in
power."

He also said many of the President's policies and inconstant
political moves posed new threats to the country.

"The President has a tendency to create conflict with his own
staff in managing the Cabinet. The President has acted arrogantly
in managing the Cabinet in the name of his presidential
prerogative".

The faction also questioned Abdurrahman's understanding of the
need to maintain national unity.

"The President didn't try to prevent the Papuan People's
Congress but instead provided Rp 1 billion despite its clear
intention to secede from the republic," he added.

One of the few positive speeches addressed to the President
was from his own National Awakening Party (PKB) faction.

Faction member Anwar Iskandar said the government had been
earnest in laying down a new foundation for a democratic
political system, and had vigorously conducting high-level
diplomacy to increase international trust and respect.

Some concerns were raised by the faction about Abdurrahman's
managerial skills.

"The President, however, has to improve his managerial
skills," Anwar read from a speech, which also encouraged the
President to remain patient despite all hardships.

Blame

The Reform faction, a small coalition led by the National
Mandate Party (PAN), put the blame squarely on the President for
prolonging many of Indonesia's problems. It said that the
President was no longer part of the solution, but was "the source
of the problems".

"We have no pretension other than the interest of the nation's
children. The Reform faction call on the nation to look deeper
into this issue, considering that this will determine the fate of
around 210 million Indonesian people," faction spokeswoman
Nurdiati Akma said.

She said that her faction was the first to nominate
Abdurrahman for president at the MPR meeting last October.

"If today we call for a review of the effectivity of the
President's performance, that is because we want to save the
President, as was ordained by the Prophet (Muhammad): 'save your
brother who has sinned or is being sinned.'"

The faction said the President's economic record was worse
than his predecessor B.J. Habibie.

The Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police faction criticized the
President for giving too many concessions over Aceh and Irian
Jaya, which it said had weakened the government's bargaining
power and made the job of the security apparatus in the regions
more difficult.

Faction spokesman Benyamin Balukh cited the example of the
President's decision to allow people in Irian Jaya to hoist the
separatist Free Papua Movement flag and to change the province's
name to Papua.

The military faction, still a powerful block although with
only 38 MPR members, welcomed the President's statement on Monday
that the government would not tolerate any attempt by provinces
to separate from the republic.

While praising the government for its efforts in political and
legal reforms, the faction said they were not ideal.(team)