Impeachment 'best option to end crisis'

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) looks set to convene a special session to impeach President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, saying it is the best option to end the ongoing political crisis.

Assembly speaker Amien Rais said after a meeting with the chairpersons of six House of Representatives factions on Monday that both he and the top legislators were of the same opinion that the President had so far failed to give a positive response to the second memorandum of censure handed down by the House on April 30.

"During the special session, the President will have to deliver his accountability speech. If the speech is accepted he will prevail, but if it is rejected he will be finished," Amien said.

According to him the special session would take place in late July at the earliest, provided that the House calls for the convention in its plenary meeting on May 30 and that the Assembly could meet the two-month preparations for the event.

"The MPR leaders can establish a special committee to make all necessary preparations for the special session within two months as required by the 1978 MPR Decree," Amien said.

The faction leaders who visited Amien at his residence on Monday were Arifin Panigoro of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Syamsul Mu'arif of the Golkar Party, Alimarwan Hanan of the United Development Party (PPP), Hatta Radjasa of the Reform faction, Ahmad Sumargono of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and Amiruddin Djaja Subita of the United Ummat Sovereignty Party (PDU).

Amien, also chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said the factions leaders told him in the one-hour meeting that they were not satisfied with the President's response to the second memorandum of censure.

"It's almost certain the House will send a letter to the Assembly soon after the May 30 plenary session, calling on the Assembly to hold a special session," he said.

The six factions confirmed their common stand following the May 17 meeting in Hotel Indonesia, Amien said.

Decree

Asked to comment on rumors of the issuance of a presidential decree to dissolve the legislature, Amien said both the Assembly, the House and the Indonesian Military would ignore it.

He warned that if the President went ahead with the plan, the Assembly could hasten the special session to impeach the President.

"The President has no authority to dissolve the House. We will ignore it and call for the Assembly to impeach him," he said.

Both Arifin Panigoro and Syamsul Mu'arif agreed.

"Such a decree is against the constitution and its issuance will provide us with constitutional means to call for an Assembly special session to impeach him," said Arifin.

Arifin said PDI Perjuangan would make preparations for the planned meeting of party leaders, which is expected to take place a few days ahead of the House's May 30 plenary session.

Separately, Lt. Gen. Budhi Harsono, chairman of the Indonesian Military/National Police faction, reiterated that if the President issued a decree to dissolve the legislature that both the military and the National Police would reject it.

"Let the President issue such a decree but the military and the National Police will not support it," he said.

Asked about his faction's stance in the May 30 plenary session, Budhi said his faction would likely maintain its neutrality because it did not wish to be involved in the conflict between the President and the political parties.

"The military and the National Police may abstain as our main concern is to protect democracy and national interests," he said.

In another development, around 150 activists of the Alliance of Indonesian Students Associations (Alfonso), staged a demonstration near the State Palace, demanding the President step down because of the worsening political situation.

The demonstrators said the President should resign because the government had lost the political support of the legislature, had failed to carry out sweeping reforms and made an unpopular decision to raise fuel prices and electricity rates by 40 percent. (rms)