Issue on dismissal of ministers no longer relevant

JAKARTA (JP): Several House of Representatives (DPR) factions on Thursday questioned the relevance of continuing the inquiry into President Abdurrahman Wahid's decision to dismiss two economics ministers in April, 1999.

The Indonesian Military/National Police, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Justice and Unity Party (FKKI) and the Love Nation and Nationhood Party (PDKB) factions opined that the House should concentrate on political issues that need urgent solutions.

"Our faction respects legislators' democratic rights to question the dismissal of the two ministers, but it will be better if they settled the matter outside the House plenary sessions.

"It will be time consuming to hold several plenary sessions to discuss the issue while we still have other major problems that need urgent solutions," spokesman for the Indonesian Military/National Police faction Commodore Bachrum Rasir said.

He was referring to the dismissal of then trade and industry minister Yusuf Kalla and then state minister for the empowerment of small enterprises and state-owned companies Laksamana Sukardi in 1999.

Bachrum said the House should focus on the massive rallies demanding fair investigation into the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and Brunei financial scandals.

Pramono Anung Wibowo, a PDI Perjuangan councillor, said the rallies were probably an attempt by certain groups to discredit the government and to topple the President.

"It will be better for the House to focus their attention on settling problems in Aceh, Maluku and Irian Jaya. All factions and commissions should contribute to peaceful and comprehensive solutions to the problems," he said.

Ida Mausyiah, spokeswoman for the PKB faction said the President had given a written answer to the House's questions with regards to the ministers' dismissal and that he had apologized for all the sufferings that resulted from his decision.

"The President has the prerogative to appoint and dismiss Cabinet ministers. The President has stated his reasons for the dismissal as well apologized for the decision," she said.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung agreed with the five factions, saying that there was nothing more to be done over the dismissal of the two ministers as the House's right to express its opinion will only be futile.

"After we have stated the House's opinion, it will stop there. Even if we say that the President had lied, it will only be filed in the President's record," Akbar told journalists at his office on Thursday.

"We do not have any constitutional avenue to take after stating our opinion," he said.

However, Akbar maintained that the House may proceed to exercise its right to express its opinion even in the absence of further explanation from the President over the matter.

On the contrary, Setya Ratnawati, spokeswoman for the Golkar Party faction, called on the House to continue with its inquiry into the issue in observance of the existing mechanism in the legislative body.

"As he had failed to provide clear reasons for dismissing Yusuf Kalla and Laksamana Sukardi, the President has breached the Constitution and the law," she said.

Nurdakri Ibrahim Naim, spokesman for the United Development Party (PPP) faction, said that despite his prerogatives, the President should clearly explain his reasons for the dismissal to avoid disinformation among the public.

"As this is the reform era, the President, to prevent absolutism, should not use his prerogatives arbitrarily. Legislators who are dissatisfied with his explanation should take him to court," she said. (rms/dja)