Gus Dur's team, parties divided over session's agenda

Gus Dur's team, parties divided over session's agenda

JAKARTA (JP): The lobbying team of embattled President
Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and party leaders agreed on Tuesday
to overcome the political stalemate in the special session of
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August, but the two sides
were divided over the event's main agenda.

One of the President's envoys, Minister of Defense Mahfud
M.D., admitted that the special session being prepared by the MPR
Working Committee looked unavoidable but questioned its main
agenda of hearing the President's accountability for his
administration.

Mahfud, who is a constitutional law professor, said the MPR's
request for Abdurrahman's accountability speech was
unconstitutional because of its questionable legal basis that
centers on two financial scandals, which have led to two motions
of censure by the House.

"It's debatable whether the special session complies with the
Constitution. But we understand that the special session is a
neutral forum to seek a solution to the political crisis, instead
of an arena to topple the President," Mahfud said in a press
conference at his office that followed meetings with Golkar Party
chairman Akbar Tandjung and United Development Party (PPP)
chairman Hamzah Haz.

Mahfud said he held talks with Hamzah and other PPP top
figures on Tuesday and with Akbar on Monday.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
Affairs Agum Gumelar has been assigned with lobbying Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, in her capacity as chairwoman
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
and the military while Finance Minister Rizal Ramli and Attorney
General Baharuddin Lopa will approach Amien Rais, chairman of the
National Mandate Party (PAN), and Crescent Star Party (PBB)
leaders.

Mahfud insisted that the President did no harm to the
Constitution in connection with the two scandals following a
clarification by the Attorney General's Office, which said that
it found no evidence of the President's involvement in the scams.

"Gus Dur has no objection to the order to deliver his
accountability speech in the special session, but the Assembly
should mention which violations the President has committed and
has to account for," he said.

The President has repeatedly said that he will present his
accountability speech in the Assembly's general session in 2004.

Mahfud said the President is ready to make a political
compromise or a power-sharing arrangement with parties only after
the special session.

Meanwhile, Ali Marwan Hanan, secretary-general of PPP, said
his party had not struck any deal with Mahfud in their first
meeting, but asserted the Muslim-based party was ready to seek a
compromise in the special session.

"We hardly touched the substance of a political compromise
because we were still divided over the special session's agenda,"
he said, adding that it was important for the President to attend
the special session.

"If a compromise is reached, we have to bring it forward to
the MPR special session for endorsement," he said.

PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Roy B.B. Janis said that the
party was ready to hold a dialog with the President's team, but
so far Megawati Soekarnoputri had not arranged a schedule for a
meeting with them.

Sutjipto, secretary-general of PDI Perjuangan, said his party
would call for a special session ahead of the scheduled one if
political tension continued to mount.

The MPR Working Committee is preparing a draft decree on
appointment of Megawati as president if the President's
accountability speech is rejected.

Meanwhile Akbar Tandjung said that despite the Assembly's
probable rejection of the President's accountability, there will
be a chance for Gus Dur and parties to work out a political
compromise.

"There is still a chance for the President and parties to
reach a political compromise despite the Assembly's possible
rejection of the President's accountability speech," he said.
(rms/dja/02)