Gus Dur's claim could backfire, observers say
Gus Dur's claim could backfire, observers say
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's claim that many of
Indonesia's violent conflicts could be traced to members of the
House of Representatives or the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) could backfire and cost him political support, observers
say.
Rather than calming the political situation, the President's
remarks, made in Bali on Saturday, would further destabilize the
country, they said on Monday.
Bara Hasibuan, deputy secretary-general of the National
Mandate Party (PAN), said the onus was on the police to prove the
President's claims.
"I regret Gus Dur dropping such a bomb. He should not have
said it because he has sown even more confusion, not just for the
public but also for law enforcement agencies," Bara told The
Jakarta Post.
The police must quickly come up with the evidence, he said.
If his claims are proven true, however, the people would
support the President's move all the way, he said.
"PAN will support him if the remarks were intended to uphold
the law and end the violent unrest sweeping the country," he
said.
The President said on Saturday that he had approved requests
by the National Police "to arrest" a number of legislators
believed to have been behind many of the conflicts in the
country, including the sectarian clashes in Maluku.
As his office backtracked on the statement, insisting that the
permission was for the police to question legislators as
witnesses, the President stuck by his statement on Monday, even
setting a July 15 deadline for the police to make the arrests.
Ichlasul Amal, rector of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta,
said the President's political standing would plunge if he could
not come up with solid evidence to back up his claim.
If this was intended to be a political maneuver ahead of the
meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August,
"this was not an effective one", Ichlasul said.
He warned of even more political instability in the run-up to
the August General Session unless the President changed his style
and stopped making more controversial statements.
The President is due to present his progress report to the MPR
in August, and some of his staunch critics have warned that the
session could be turned into a process to impeach him.
Rubiyanto Misman, rector of Jendral Soedirman University in
Purwokerto, Central Java, also said that the police must quickly
come up with proof.
"The most important thing is to establish the truth. Members
of the House or Assembly may have been offended by the statement
but if it is true, the law should be upheld," Rubiyanto said.
Matori Abdul Djalil, MPR deputy chairman from the Nation
Awakening Party (PKB), urged the Attorney General's Office to
launch an immediate investigation in order to end all public
speculation concerning the case.
"The attorney general should be responsive to the President's
statement. Launch the investigation and disclose the names of
these persons," Matori said as quoted by Antara.
Other House or Assembly members should not feel intimidated by
the President's remarks if they are not guilty, he said, adding
that they should continue to be critical of the President.
(44/45/dja)