Major parties say no compromise struck

Major parties say no compromise struck

JAKARTA (JP): After three weeks, lobbying initiated by
President Abdurrahman Wahid has not achieved compromise, his
political foes declared on Sunday.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI Perjuangan)
deputy secretary general, Pramono Anung Wibowo, and chief of
Golkar Party faction at the House of Representatives, Syamsul
Mu'arif, contended that the chance remains remote for a political
deal and that the People's Consultative Assembly would go ahead
with the crucial agenda of hearing the President report the
accountability of his government's performance in its upcoming
special session

"As one of the party's executive board members, I've never
heard anything about the deal claimed by the President. I do not
think a certain agreement will be made ahead of the special
session," Pramono told The Jakarta Post.

Pramono and Syamsul were responding to Abdurrahman's claim on
Saturday that major political parties had agreed not to touch
four sensitive issues in the forthcoming special session.

Speaking during his visit to the East Java town of Mojokerto,
the President said a minister who was included in his lobbying
team has succeeded in convincing major political parties not to
raise issues on the ties between the executive body, the House of
Representatives and legal authorities, his accountability, the
government's performance and the relationship between him and
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"Alhamdulillah, major political parties have begun to accept
the four conditions through a declaration that is jointly
signed," he said before local people, after making a devotional
visit to the grave of the Muslim cleric, Sunan Usman Ngundung, in
the village of Troloyo.

The President said: "I told them through pak Mahfud that if
they (parties) decline to sign the declaration, I have an
obligation to defend the Constitution. This should not be
underestimated because without such an agreement Indonesia will
collapse."

Gus Dur said he would not hesitate to take such constitutional
action.

Mahfud, the Minister of Defense, is part of the President's
team to lobby political parties in facing the special session
where the Assembly will ask for the President's accountability
due to his disregard of two memorandums of censure, issued
because of his alleged involvement in two financial scandals.

Defying Abdurrahman's apparent threat, Pramono said that his
party had not changed its support for the special session.

"In case of an important decision like political compromise,
the party chief would have already informed us," Pramono said,
referring to Megawati.

Syamsul said his party had never struck an agreement or
commitment with the President's team of lobbyists regarding the
agenda of the special session, scheduled to begin on Aug. 1.

"I've never heard anything about a change in the agenda of the
special session," Syamsul told the Post.

On Saturday, Golkar Party Chairman Akbar Tandjung
acknowledged, during a visit to the East Kalimantan capital,
Samarinda, that he had met with Mahfud but both sides had not
made any political agreement.

"So far, any progress has yet to materialize, even though the
special session is drawing near. Golkar Party will just have to
wait for the team to continue the talks," Akbar said, as quoted
by Antara.

He underlined that his party would accept any agreement as
long as it was for the good of the country.

Bomer Pasaribu, deputy secretary general of the Golkar Party,
said his party would never make such an agreement with the
president's lobbying team because it was against the
Constitution.

"With regard to the President's claim, the President is
dreaming that parties will bow down to his threats," he said,
citing that his party did not give any concession to Mahfud in
their recent meeting.

He added that the President's statement was a serious piece of
disinformation or otherwise Mahfud had presented a misleading
report, on his lobbying Golkar, to the President.

Bachtiar Chamsyah, deputy secretary of the United Development
Party (PPP), also said that his party had not made an agreement
with Mahfud.

He said he was no longer surprised at the President's claims
as it was becoming a habit of the President to make controversial
statements.

"This latest statement (from the President) may encourage
political parties to seek a political compromise in the special
session," he said. (rms/dja)