'It will all over in August'

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave her strongest signal yet at what she expects to happen in the coming months when she said the political impasse gripping the country would be over by mid-August.

Megawati, touted as a presidential candidate with the leadership of Abdurrahman Wahid on the ropes, said during a meeting with the executives of the Association of Young Indonesian Businessmen (HIPMI) that political stability and certainty would prevail by the Aug. 17 Independence Day celebrations.

Association chairman Hariyadi B. Sukamdani said after meeting the Vice President at Merdeka Selatan Palace on Thursday: "Ibu Mega did not elaborate, but said Insya Allah (God Willing), all of the country's problems will be resolved by that day."

The country is bracing for a fiery political conclusion to the troubled 20-month presidency of Abdurrahman when the People's Consultative Assembly, Indonesia's highest institution, convenes for a special session starting Aug. 1.

The Assembly will call for the President to deliver his accountability speech, which, if rejected, could see Megawati ushered in as the new president.

Megawati's party, the Indonesian Democratic of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), has been one of the majority factions leading the charge to hold a special session.

According to Hariyadi, Megawati also expressed confidence that the security condition would remain under control in the run-up to the special session, pointing to the crucial role of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and her own party executives in easing possible tensions.

"Insya Allah (God's willing) nothing will happen. I am sure that TNI is fully aware of their position," Hariyadi said quoting Megawati, while adding that the Vice President was hopeful the business community would also remain calm during the key period.

President Abdurrahman has claimed that the legislators' persistence in holding a special session would provoke clashes between supporters and opposition forces of the President.

Megawati brushed aside these fears on Thursday.

"The one that can actually provoke riots is the winner of the general election, but we did not do that and we are always against any violence," Megawati said, referring to her party who won about a third of the popular vote during the 1999 general election.

Cabinet

In another apparent show of defiance, Megawati, who has all but distanced herself from Abdurrahman's government, skipped on Thursday the first Cabinet meeting convened since a small reshuffle saw Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono replaced as coordinating minister for political, social and security affairs by Agum Gumelar.

Close aides to Megawati have said that she was not consulted about the shake-up, which also saw Marzuki Darusman replaced as attorney general by Baharuddin Lopa.

The President during the three-hour meeting reportedly instructed Agum to approach party leaders, legislators and other elite in a bid to reconcile with his political foes.

Agum revealed that he would also approach Megawati in her capacity as the PDI Perjuangan chairperson.

"I was instructed to break the current political communication standoff," Agum told reporters at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Agum inherited from Susilo an executive order to maintain security amid the anticipated security unrest, which could erupt in the run-up to the special session.

He also pledged on Thursday to take stern measures in restoring security and public order, especially in the troubled provinces of Irian Jaya and Aceh.

Separately during a discussion, Susilo said on Thursday the Assembly's coming special session must resolve the political impasse by endorsing a new leader and government.

"The incoming special session must be able to produce a comprehensive solution for the sake of the nation and the state. We must first salvage the state above all other things. We will have a new and effective leader and government," he said during the book launch of Kedudukan Militer dalam Islam (The Military's Role in an Islamic Perspective).

Susilo also admitted that Abdurrahman's administration had failed.

"Not only has it been wasteful, we've also failed to do anything significant for the people," he said.

He said the coming special session was a good opportunity for all to come to a common consensus to lift the nation out of its multidimensional crisis. (dja/rms/prb)