Gus Dur wants Mega to function as PM

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid emphasized on Wednesday his determination to give Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri a significant role in government and even likened her role to that of a prime minister.

Speaking to journalists after chairing a Cabinet meeting at Bina Graha presidential office, Abdurrahman said Megawati was constantly involved in the decision making process.

Abdurrahman stressed that he also conveyed his wish for Megawati's involvement directly to the Cabinet so there would be no apprehension from the ministers.

"I need to emphasize here that in the Cabinet, I pointed out that Vice President Megawati also functions as prime minister, I say again she also acts (as prime minister)," Abdurrahman asserted.

Abdurrahman, popularly known as Gus Dur, said his remarks were also a reaction to suggestions from several legislators of the need for him to appoint a prime minister.

Abdurrahman conceded that due to his failing eyesight, Megawati practically leads most of Cabinet meetings already.

"She asks and raise issues directly with the ministers during the Cabinet meeting. You know why? Because as you yourself know, I cannot see, therefore I do not know much about details," the President said.

Since their election in October, Abdurrahman has made it clear that he would stray from tradition and empower the Vice President with more responsibility rather than just being a figurehead.

The rapport between the president and vice president undoubtedly stems from the affinity between Abdurrahman and Megawati nurtured over the years.

On Friday, Abdurrahman even went so far as to suggest that Megawati should have been the one seated as president as her party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, won the most votes in the general election.

Abdurrahman said it was only by a quirk of fate and the insistence of People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Amien Rais that he became president.

"I was lucky with Mas Amien otherwise I would never have become president," he joked.

But it is unclear whether Abdurrahman's reference to Megawati as a prime minister holds any legal basis or is a mere outburst of compassion for his deputy.

As stipulated in Article 17 of the 1945 Constitution, Indonesia officially adheres to a presidential system. This means that it does not recognize a prime minister. But there is a historic precedence for such a breach.

From November 1945 to December 1949 Sukarno, Megawati's father, appointed several prime ministers whose Cabinets were responsible directly to the President.

From January 1948 to December 1949, for example, Indonesia's first Vice President Mohammad Hatta served as vice president and prime minister.

From 1950 to July 1959 Indonesia's government was effectively a parliamentary system as there was a prime minister which was accountable to the House of Representatives.

On July 6, Sukarno dissolved the system. Until February 1960 Sukarno doubled as prime minister.

Recognizing that his comments would likely spark debate on the Constitutional validity of a prime minister, Abdurrahman quickly remarked that people should not get into a legal wrangle over it.

"I don't think we need special regulations (on the PM issue), because it is only a matter of a job description between the two of us," said the President. (prb)