Gus Dur vows to defend Constitution
Gus Dur vows to defend Constitution
JAKARTA (JP): Politically cornered, President Abdurrahman
Wahid returned to a familiar theme on Friday, vowing to take
tough measures to defend the Constitution against violations by
lawmakers.
Abdurrahman said any violation of the 1945 Constitution, which
grants sweeping power to the head of state, must be dealt with
"without hesitation".
"It is pivotal that we not tolerate any violation of the
Constitution. Therefore, we have to defend our Constitution at
all costs," the President said after Friday prayers at the
presidential palace's Baiturrahim Mosque.
Abdurrahman could face impeachment proceedings within months,
following the issuance of two memorandums of censure by the House
of Representatives for corruption and incompetence.
In a thinly veiled threat, Abdurrahman said the 500-member
legislature had gone beyond its authority when a House
investigative committee concluded in February that he might have
played a role in two financial scandals.
"The Constitution clearly stipulates that investigations are
the authority of the judicial arm of the government," Abdurrahman
said.
The President then went on to deny that he ever had the
intention of issuing a presidential decree dissolving the House.
"I have never said that there was any intention to issue such
a decree, so it is only being made up by the media," the
President said.
Top military brass have said that during a breakfast meeting
at the Merdeka Palace on May 5, Abdurrahman expressed his
intention to issue a presidential decree dissolving the House.
Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Indroko Sastrowiryono was the latest
military leader to confirm the events of this meeting. He said on
Thursday that he advised the President to refrain from issuing
the decree, as it "will only bring adversity to the people".
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said earlier that
dissolving the House would only worsen the already poor
relationship between the President and the legislature.
Abdurrahman has repeatedly accused the House of violating the
Constitution by conducting an investigation of the two financial
scandals.
The President has also maintained that under the current
political system, he can only be held accountable by the People's
Consultative Assembly at the end of his term in 2004.
He told a gathering of provincial governors earlier on Friday
that anyone who wanted to change the government to a
parliamentarian system should wait until the Assembly convenes
next year and amend the Constitution.
Later in the day, constitutional law expert Harun Al Rasyid
called on the Supreme Court to issue "a legal opinion" on whether
the memorandums of censure and possible impeachment of the
President were legally valid.
However, new Supreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan appears
reluctant to play a role in the political battle, implying
earlier in the day that the Supreme Court would not venture into
the political realm.
"The Supreme Court is not a legal adviser to anyone and we
will not give any opinions if it is not a legal battle," Bagir
said following his swearing-in ceremony at the State Palace on
Friday morning. (byg)