Major political parties defend Vice President

Major political parties defend Vice President

JAKARTA (JP): The country's two top political parties, Golkar
and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
jumped to the defense on Thursday of Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, who has come under attack by President Abdurrahman
Wahid's camp.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said Megawati's criticism of
the President was proportional, and there was no need to ask her
to resign from the vice presidency just because she had rebuked
Abdurrahman.

"I do not think her comments have been out of line because,
although she is part of the government, she has the right to
reprove the President," said Akbar, who is also the speaker of
the House of Representative.

Executives of Abdurrahman's National Awakening Party (PKB),
including secretary-general Muhaimin Iskandar, suggested that
Megawati go the way of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo if she could not work with the President. The PKB leaders
said that only after leaving the administration could Megawati
criticize the government.

Akbar said Megawati was elected vice president by the People's
Consultative Assembly, therefore she was not accountable to the
President.

"They should work together, but if sometimes they have
differences of opinion it does not mean that she should resign,"
Akbar said.

Separately, the deputy secretary-general of PDI Perjuangan,
Pramono Anung Wibowo, said that as vice president, Megawati, who
is also PDI Perjuangan chairwoman, would remain loyal to the
President.

"Ibu Megawati will stay loyal to the President as the Vice
President. What she has done (as a party leader) is to empower
her faction in the House in implementing the system of checks and
balances," Pramono said.

"We believe that she remains firm in her stance of keeping
separate her duties as vice president and as party leader."

Pramono further underlined that Megawati was different from
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He said Megawati
never intended to topple the President and replace him through
the memorandum process, through which Abdurrahman has been
censured twice over two financial scandals.

"It is a constitutional process that has to go forward, and
Ibu never had the purpose of toppling the President," Pramono
contended.

He also denied allegations that Megawati and Abdurrahman were
no longer united. According to him, the two continue to have a
good personal relationship.

"Ibu Megawati does not have any problems with the National
Awakening Party or with Gus Dur," Pramono said, referring to the
President by his nickname.

Commenting on a meeting on Wednesday between the leaders of
the House factions, Pramono said Megawati accepted the results of
the meeting.

He said Megawati was discussing the possibility of inviting
political party chairs to a summit to follow up the meeting
within a couple of days.

"The factions reported the results of the meeting and Ibu
Megawati eagerly accepted its outcome," Pramono said.

Akbar also hailed the results of the meeting, and said he was
waiting for PDI Perjuangan to take the initiative to call a
second meeting.

"We all agree that we need an effective government that has a
clear vision of the country ... we have to say that the current
government is not effective," Akbar noted.

Taking a gloomier stance than the President's other
supporters, Abdurrahman's younger brother Salahuddin Wahid said
it was only a matter of time before his brother left office.

Salahuddin said his brother's own weaknesses had triggered the
rising dissatisfaction with his leadership, adding that the
President was nearly powerless in the face of his opponents
attacks.

"There is little chance that Gus Dur will survive because
seven factions in the House have demanded a special session of
the Assembly," said Salahuddin. (dja/prb)