Mega urged to fire Jakob Tobing

Mega urged to fire Jakob Tobing

CIREBON, West Java: Hundreds of supporters of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) went on strike at
the Cirebon legislature building to protest the ongoing amendment
being made by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) into the
1945 Constitution.

They demanded PDI Perjuangan Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri
dismiss Jakob Tobing, who chairs the Assembly's ad hoc committee
preparing the amendments, because he refused to stop amending the
Constitution.

Jakob is a legislator of PDI Perjuangan at the House of
Representatives and at the Assembly.

The demonstrators, who came from a variety of mass
organizations under PDI Perjuangan, said the amendment had to be
stopped because it was liable to conflicts that could jeopardize
national unity.

Iwan Hendrawan, coordinator of the demonstration, said the MPR
should not interfere with sensitive issues in the Constitution
because such action could cause new conflict.

"The way the Assembly is drafting amendments to the
Constitution has brought major changes to almost all its
chapters. They are doing it without any historical
consideration," he said.

He said Jakob should be replaced because he had bowed to the
pressure of other parties in amending the Constitution.

Chairman of the Cirebon legislature Suryana pledged that he
would channel their political demands to both Megawati and the
Assembly.

Iwan and Suryana are PDI Perjuangan legislators at the Cirebon
legislative council. -- JP