Megawati consents second censure

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri has given consent for her party, the largest faction in the national legislature, to support the issuance of a second memorandum of censure against President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra told journalists after meeting with Megawati here on Monday that she had confirmed PDI Perjuangan's support for the memorandum.

"We were discussing PBB's support for the second memorandum and when I asked about PDI Perjuangan's stance, Ibu Megawati said: 'It would be like that too'," Yusril said.

Yusril remarked that Megawati did not detail the reasoning behind PDI Perjuangan's decision to support the memorandum.

However, according to Yusril, Megawati did hint that "there was a lot of pressure from the party to do so and things were difficult to handle".

Yusril, who was sacked in February by Abdurrahman as former minister of justice and human rights, said he met Megawati to propose a meeting between political party leaders to discuss the future of the country after the memorandum is issued.

"We have to deal with what is going to happen after the memorandum process and there was a suggestion to hold a meeting between major political parties to discuss the issue," he said.

"Although she did not give an official reply on whether PDI Perjuangan would join such a meeting, she did say that it is a good idea, but should be conducted after April 30 when the House and the President's positions are clear," he added.

Yusril stressed that the idea for such a meeting had originated from several parties.

"I only conveyed the idea to Ibu Mega," he remarked.

The House of Representatives, currently in recess, will begin its next session on April 30, with the issuance of a second memorandum set to top the agenda.

The House issued its first memorandum on Feb. 1, following suspicion that Abdurrahman had violated state guidelines and his constitutional oath as president, in relation to his alleged involvement in two financial scandals.

The issuance of a second memorandum increases the likelihood of a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly, which has the power to impeach the president.

House speaker Akbar Tandjung, who is also chairman of the Golkar Party, has said there would be little opposition to the second memorandum, with the only objection expected to come from the President's own National Awakening Party faction, which occupies 51 seats in the 500-seat House.

PDI Perjuangan is the largest House faction with 153 seats, followed by Golkar with 120.

Dialog

In a move intended to placate disgruntled politicians and possibly lend a new lease of life to his battered presidency, Abdurrahman and his supporters have been soliciting the idea of a dialog between top political and national figures.

Contentiously, Abdurrahman's harshest critic, Assembly speaker Amien Rais, has been ostracized from the prospective meeting.

But Abdurrahman seemed to change his tone, suggesting on Monday that Amien was free to participate.

"It will be all right for him to take part. But if he refuses to do so it will be up to him," Abdurrahman told journalists at Bina Graha presidential office.

So far there has been no schedule set for the dialog.

Separately, Amien calmly said that it did not matter to him whether or not he was invited.

"No problem," Amien remarked while claiming that he would still abide by whatever decision was reached in the dialog, irrespective of his attendance or absence.

"The most important thing is for the constitutional process to proceed," he said.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung hinted that he would reconsider his participation in the dialog if Amien was not invited.

Akbar stressed that Amien's position as Assembly speaker was respectable and strategic. (dja)