House unmoved by calls to halt censure process

House unmoved by calls to halt censure process

JAKARTA (JP): The two largest factions in the House of
Representatives said on Sunday they were unswayed by an appeal
from the government not to issue a second censure against
President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Speaking separately to The Jakarta Post on Sunday, the deputy
secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan), Pramono Anung, and the chairman of the Golkar
Party faction in the House, Syamsul Mu'arif, asserted there would
be "no surprise decision" on Monday.

"Our faction believes there is no reason at all not to issue
the second memorandum (of censure) as we agreed to during a
party meeting last week," Pramono said.

Both PDI Perjuangan and Golkar, which between them hold 273 of
the 500 seats in the House, were on Sunday night completing the
statements they will deliver during the House plenary session on
Monday.

Pramono said the final draft of his party's statement would
"take into account the welfare of the country".

He said the party's faction in the House accepted the
government's call for a halt to the memorandum process, but had
ruled out the possibility of changing its stance.

This was made clear by PDI Perjuangan chairwoman and Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri last week following a meeting
with the Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra,
who is one of the President's fiercest critics.

"Our party's stance is clear. We will support the
constitutional process .... ," Pramono said.

Sources told the Post the PDI Perjuangan's 19-page general
view would be read out by Dwi Ria Latifa.

The party will deliver its evaluation of the President's
performance over the last three months, according to Article 9 of
the 1945 Constitution on the presidential oath and People's
Consultative Assembly Decree No. 11/1998 on clean governance.

Golkar was finalizing its general view on Sunday night at the
Dharmawangsa Hotel in South Jakarta. The party's top officials,
including chairman Akbar Tandjung, deputy chairman Marzuki
Darusman and Syamsul Mu'arif, were all present.

Syamsul said the party would not change its stance. "We will
likely support the issuance of the second memorandum," he said,
adding that the government's call to halt the process had not
swayed Golkar's position.

"The call from the government has nothing to do with the
memorandum process. It can be considered as an attempt at
intervention on the part of the government because the decision
is up to each faction," Syamsul said.

Golkar reportedly will deliver a 13-page general view
underscoring clean governance and the President's alleged abuse
of power.

Late on Sunday, a presidential spokesman said President
Abdurrahman had no engagements on Monday so he could closely
monitor the proceedings in the House.

"There is nothing on the President's schedule on Monday. He
just has to follow the developments in the legislature,"
presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar told the Post in a
telephone interview.

Wimar also denied suggestions that Abdurrahman, who is under
pressure to resign over his erratic leadership and alleged
involvement in two financial scandals, was intent on appearing
before the House on Monday.

"There has never been any intention of going there ... he
(Abdurrahman) will be following (the proceedings) from the
palace."

Meanwhile, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman
said that despite the much-anticipated plenary session of the
House, there were no indications of any major rallies planned for
Monday.

"Based on our latest intelligence information, there will be
no rallies on Monday, including by those who claim to be from
pro-Gus Dur groups," Mulyono said, referring to the President by
his nickname. The police chief was speaking at the Hilton Hotel
following a coordinating meeting with his subordinates.

However, Mulyono said the police would take precautionary
measures by deploying a large number of police officers inside
and outside the House compound.

He said about 4,000 police officers would be deployed inside
the House compound, and between 8,000 and 10,000 officers would
be stationed at five strategic areas near the House and in the
capital. These areas are the Taman Ria flyover, Pulau Dua
restaurant, the Manggala Wanabhakti building, the Senayan
shooting range, state-owned TVRI television station and the
National Monument (Monas).

Police will also provide protection to legislators traveling
form their homes in Kalibata, South Jakarta, to the House.

Mulyono said the House Secretariat would send buses to
Kalibata to pick up the legislators, and police would escort the
buses to the House. (02/dja/byg)