Megawati must also quit, says Gus Dur

Megawati must also quit, says Gus Dur

MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid
suggested here on Tuesday that he and Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri were a one-package deal thus if he resigns, both
have to go.

In his address to thousands of participants of the second
Great Minahasa Congress in Tomohon, North Sulawesi, the President
asserted that he and Megawati would struggle together to maintain
their seat until 2004 because both of them were democratically
elected in 1999 to lead the country for a five-year term.

No one should separate the duet just to accommodate new
political developments in the country, Abdurrahman insisted.

"If one (of them) leaves, the other must also leave. Therefore
in my vocabulary, there is no separation between the President
and Vice President. This condition (partnership) must continue
until 2004," said the President who received a positive response
from the crowd.

"All measures will be taken to maintain the duet," he added.

"Whatever happens, this fact should not be forgotten, as Ibu
Megawati and I were elected in a very democratic way," said
Abdurrahman.

This was of the few times the embattled President has linked
his possible departure directly with the Vice President who
stands to become the head of state should the President be ousted
by the House.

Abdurrahman, who arrived for a two day stay here on Monday,
remained confident that he would survive the coming special
session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

Without elaborating, the President also indicated that he
would not impose a state of emergency in spite of his repetitive
threats to do so.

"I can use my power as a president to do this and that against
others, but I will never do it," Abdurrahman commented vaguely.

While in Sulawesi the President visited North Sulawesi and the
newly established Gorontalo province.(48/prb)