Interpreting the Constitution

What makes it legitimate for Mega (Megawati Soekarnoputri) and Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid) to retain power is the Constitution. If Gus Dur performs well the Constitution permits him to remain in power until 2004. And if Mega should be called upon to replace Gus Dur in the middle of his term, what would make that legitimate is once again the Constitution and nothing else.

Unfortunately, this most basic principle is currently under threat. It appears that various groups are looking for alternative foundations to base their political calculations. NU (Nahdlatul Ulama) seems to be trying to find different channels to support Gus Dur's hold on power, whose legitimacy is threatened by a second memorandum in parliament. NU appears to be exploring a new interpretation of the term "conspiring to overthrow the government", despite the fact that this is already comprehensively defined in the Constitution.

We fear that if Megawati should ever find herself in a difficult position, her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle will also develop its own arguments and interpretations to defend her. If House of Representatives speaker, Akbar Tanjung and People's Consultative Assembly chairman, Amien Rais should follow their example, we must ask ourselves: what basic accord is there to support our existence as a nation and a state?

It would be most unfortunate if we can never agree on who or what governs our life as a nation.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta