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)