Legislators unite in call for calm

JAKARTA (JP): All 11 factions of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Sunday declared a unified stance and vowed to reduce mounting political tension ahead of the Assembly's annual session in August.

Faction leaders said, in a four-point statement, that the escalating political tension had created "uncertainties" that were detrimental to the country's effort to recover from multidimensional crisis.

"We, therefore, believe that there should be a deliberate effort to reduce political tension among the political elites and the public," Soetjipto, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction, said, reading the statement.

"The fact that there have been differences of opinion should not affect (our) commitment to maintain the country's unity," he added.

Besides Soetjipto, the signatories of Sunday's statement were Fahmi Idris of the Golkar faction, Ahmad Karmani of the United Development Party faction, Yusuf Muhammad of the National Awakening Party faction, A.M. Luthfi of the Reform faction, Hamdan Zulvan of the Crescent Star Party faction, Sutradara Ginting of the Indonesian Nationhood faction, Asnawi Latif of the United Ummat Sovereignty faction, Manasse Malo of the Love the Nation Democratic Party faction, Hari Sabarno of the Military/National Police faction and Marzuki Usman of the Group of Representatives faction.

The factions also called on the political elites "to prioritize the interests of the nation and state, and not to put their egos and respective interests over the interests of the public".

"To develop a healthy democracy, all parties should always avoid the use of anarchy, mass tyranny and political violence," the statement said.

The statement came as tension sharpened between the government and the legislature, as well as between the four top political leaders - President Abdurrahman Wahid, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and House of the Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

The political divisiveness was also regarded as a major factor in pressing the rupiah into a 21-month low and weakening share prices at the stock exchange.

Abdurrahman is due to appear before the Assembly in August to account for his turbulent nine-months in office.

Speculation is rife that the Assembly could try and topple the President during the session despite analysts' predictions that the likelihood of such a move succeeding is small.

Despite the consolatory tone of Sunday's joint statement, a direct assurance that the Assembly would not attempt or begin a process of toppling the President during the session was conspicuously missing.

The statement also fell short of declaring their support for Abdurrahman.

Amien, who was present on Sunday along with Akbar at the statement signing ceremony, later explained that both support and opposition towards the President were not clearly stated as factions did not want to create a perception that "everything has been prepared beforehand".

"So, let's just wait and see, although I am almost sure that there will no impeachment because I don't see any door or window to that possibility," Amien said.

Fahmi Idris remarked that impeachment is not on the session's agenda.

Soetjipto added that the session was aimed at bolstering the spirit of the state's executor, "and not to replace the executor".

"But that's in the general session, after that I can't say".

Meeting

Meanwhile calls were rising for the four top political leaders to personally meet in order to curb escalating political tension.

"The meeting should be held ... at least it will blunt the sharp differences between them," leading Muslim intellectual Nurcholish Madjid said on the sidelines of a seminar in Semarang, Central Java, on Saturday.

Nurcholish was referring to a planned meeting between Abdurrahman, Megawati, Akbar and Amien.

A high-profile meeting had been postponed at the last minute on Wednesday with participants citing conflicting reasons.

Palace officials cited the busy schedule of each participant, while other sources noted Megawati's reticence to take part and Amien's unpreparedness to attend if Megawati was absent.

Nurcholish said that such a meeting between the politicians, who have been at odds in recent months, would help reduce differences between them.

"Their opinions would not necessarily become one but if (the meeting) can result in the blunting of the sharp differences, it is already a good thing," he said.

Another political observer, Azyumardi Azra, rector of the Hidayatullah State Islamic Institute of Jakarta, echoed Nurcholish's sentiments.

"One has to admit that the meeting between the four, if it occurs, will not be some Aladdin's lamp which will resolve all problems. But at least it will slightly cool the political situation which has been heating up ahead of the annual convention of the MPR," Azyumardi said.

The annual session is scheduled to be held on August 7- 18.(byg/har)