House may summon President

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Bandung

In a move that could spark a possible conflict between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the House of Representatives, major factions in the legislature filed a petition on Thursday to summon the new president over the issue involving the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief's replacement.

The petition was signed by 20 legislators from factions grouped in the Nationhood Coalition -- the Golkar Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Reform Star Party (PBR) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS).

The National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, which is not officially part of the coalition, also backed the petition requiring Susilo to clarify his decision to annul former president Megawati Soekarnoputri's request to replace TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto.

The signatories said Susilo must explain what he meant by consolidation between his administration and the military, which the President cited as the reason for his decision to retract Megawati's letter that approved Endriartono's resignation.

House member Effendy Choirie of the PKB faction said the motion would be a way to "warn" the President about his decision- making powers.

"The most important thing is that it will send a warning to the President," he said, claiming more legislators would lend support for the move.

Effendy was among the signatories of the petition along with 19 other lawmakers including Yudi Chrisnandi of Golkar, Roy BB Janis of PDI-P, Jefrrey Massie of PDS, and Ade Nasution of PBR.

The House's standing orders state that a proposal to summon the President requires an approval of at least 13 legislators.

Susilo's aides have said the President was ready to speak with the House to clarify his decision to retain Endiartono as the military commander.

In the West Java capital of Bandung, Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu said on Thursday that Endriartono remained the TNI chief and controversies over the latter's resignation have been manipulated for certain political gains.

"Pak Endriartono is still the TNI chief and I remain in my post as the Army chief. There are certain procedures that we must pursue to change the TNI leadership. The TNI is not an object (to be used) by the politicians," Ryamizard said.

In her letter to the House, Megawati also named Ryamizard as the acting TNI chief.

Earlier on Wednesday, the House endorsed the establishment of 11 commissions and five auxiliary bodies in a plenary session, which was boycotted by factions grouped in the pro-Susilo People's Coalition -- the United Development Party (PPP), the Democratic Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Pioneer Reform faction.

The results of the plenary meeting could mean some future challenges for the Susilo government as they gave out seven commission chairmanships to Golkar, six to PDI-P and three to PKB.

The two successive moves could set a precedent for future attempts from the Golkar-led Nationhood Coalition to stymie any policy proposals submitted by the Susilo administration, as was predicted weeks ago by analysts.