Habibie scheduled to meet politicial party leaders
Habibie scheduled to meet politicial party leaders
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie is scheduled to meet with leaders of nine political parties, including Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), on Tuesday morning for talks on the forthcoming People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Minister of Justice/State Secretary Muladi said only political parties which won at least one legislative seat in the June 7 elections were to be invited to the meeting at the State Palace.
Habibie convened the meeting in his capacity as the holder of MPR's mandate, Muladi said on Monday.
He said the President would raise four topics in the meeting; amending the 1945 Constitution, the President's accountability and the status of the presidency and vice presidency.
"Pak Habibie will automatically submit his concepts regarding the four subjects," Muladi said after meeting with Habibie at Merdeka Palace to discuss the planned gathering.
He said Habibie expected Megawati would meet the invitation, but added that the meeting would not be adversely affected if she chose not to attend.
The minister said he sent the invitations to the parties' headquarters but did not try to contact the leaders personally.
On Saturday he said he would phone National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais, who was scheduled to leave for Mecca on Monday for the minor haj pilgrimage.
Asked whether he contacted Megawati, Muladi replied that he used a messenger service to convey the invitation to her.
"We hope that she herself will come, or at least she can send a representative."
Of the 462 House of Representatives seats at stake in the elections, 154 were won by PDI Perjuangan, 120 went to Golkar, 58 to the United Development Party, 51 to the National Awakening Party, 35 to the National Mandate Party, 14 to the Crescent Star Party, six to the Justice Party, three to PNU and one to the Muslim Community Awakening Party.
Since replacing Soeharto in May last year, Habibie has repeatedly invited Megawati through Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung to meet with him, but received no response.
Megawati and her siblings usually attend the Independence Day celebration at the Palace every Aug. 17. Last year she was absent.
In her first speech after the elections last week, Megawati asked Habibie not to contest the presidential election to be held during the MPR General Session in December.
Meanwhile, Noer Iskandar Al-Barsany, chairman of Central Java's chapter of the National Mandate Party praised Habibie for his initiative in organizing the meeting. Noer said such a meeting was important to calm the emotions of the political leaders.
He hoped that Habibie was sincere and would not manipulate the event for his own interests.
"If Habibie uses the meeting to get more support for his political goals, it will only cause more damages to the nation," said Noer.
In Bandung, professor of law Sri Sumantri criticized Megawati for her reluctance to amend the Constitution. He said Megawati's plan to make up for the constitution's shortcomings through MPR decrees would be insufficient to accommodate the people's demand for amendment.
"Improvements to the Constitution must be done by amending it," he said. (45/43/prb)