House faction chiefs meet today
House faction chiefs meet today
JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of political factions at the House of
Representatives are slated to meet at Hotel Indonesia on
Wednesday to find a common platform following the issuance of the
House's second censure of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
Nine of the ten factions at the House have confirmed their
participation in the meeting, including the National Awakening
Party faction, a strong supporter of the President.
The only faction that will not attend the meeting will be the
Love the Nation Democratic Party faction, which has not been
invited because it is under-represented at the House.
The meeting, initiated by the largest faction at the House,
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
will formulate several ideas for the upcoming meeting of
political party chairmen.
The chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction at the House,
Arifin Panigoro, said that his faction had not set an agenda for
the meeting, saying that he expected a free-wheeling discussion
among participants.
"We will not set a specific agenda for the meeting but we will
discuss the actual political situation such as the possible
special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and a
possible change of national leadership.
"The main point is how to find solutions for the country's
problems," Arifin remarked.
Each political faction will be represented by two of their
executives at the meeting, due to commence at 10 a.m.
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said that his faction
would once again float the idea of the delegation of power from
the President to Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Akbar, also House speaker, contended that such delegation of
power would be a low-cost solution for the country.
"The meeting is meant to find solutions to our problems. Thus,
our faction will come up with several ideas including the
delegation of power," Akbar asserted.
Former ruling party Golkar is the second largest faction at
the House.
Meanwhile, Alimarwan Hanan, chairman of the United Development
Party faction, the third largest faction, said his faction would
suggest that the House continue with the censure process and call
for the MPR's special session.
"This is the only constitutional solution for the country. We
have to go through the special session as the final decision to
end the current political crisis," Alimarwan said. (dja)