Megawati told not to make strategic decisions

Megawati told not to make strategic decisions

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Blitar

Political analysts urged outgoing President Megawati
Soekarnoputri to refrain from making substantial and strategic
decisions that would be binding for the new government.

In the absence of regulations to administer the transitional
period after the first presidential election, the analysts said
it would be better for Megawati to consult the president-elect in
the case of strategic decisions needing to be made.

"She should not issue any presidential decrees, presidential
instructions or other regulations that would have a direct impact
on the new government," rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State
Islamic Institute Azyumardi Azra told The Jakarta Post on
Wednesday.

He suggested instead that the outgoing president facilitate a
smooth transfer of power by initiating consultation with the
president-elect should strategic decisions be required during
transitional period.

Another analyst, Bara Hasibuan, shared the view, saying that
making strategic decisions during the transitional period was
prone to abuse of power in the interest of the outgoing
president.

"Abuse of power during a transition occurs when, for example,
the outgoing president transfers state assets, makes political
deals with certain parties on behalf of the country or takes out
new loans," Bara said.

He underlined that the president-elect should be awarded the
authority to establish a team to discuss various issues with the
outgoing president.

"The outgoing president must cooperate with the transition
team and provide answers to the team in preparing for the new
government," Bara said.

The General Elections Commission declared on Monday Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono the winner of the Sept. 20 presidential
election runoff, beating Megawati by 21 percent of the vote.

After five presidents, this is the first peaceful political
transition through a democratic election since the country's
independence in 1945.

Despite the democratic election, however, the country does not
have any regulation to administer the transitional period after
an election.

Earlier, Constitutional Court president Jimly Asshidiqqie said
that legally speaking, Megawati remained the president with all
her powers until the president-elect is sworn in on Oct. 20.
Therefore, she has the authority to make strategic decisions.

Another analyst, Ichlasul Amal, said Megawati could issue
strategic decisions only if the country faced danger, such as war
or invasion.

Meanwhile, Susilo called for a smooth transition of power,
saying that such an orderly transition would prevent social
disruptions.

"The people have been waiting for a smooth transition of
power, and we all know what the regulation says, that Ibu
Megawati should transfer power to me to enable me to continue
developing the country," Susilo said on the sidelines of a visit
to his mother, Habibah Sukotjo, in Blitar, East Java.

"I'm worried about possible conflict among people who share
different political views, if their leaders fail to behave in a
proper political manner," Susilo said.

During his trip, Susilo also visited the grave of the
country's founding president Sukarno, who was Megawati's father.
He said the visit was part of his efforts to promote "the spirit
of unity" as a new political tradition.

Asked why he visited Sukarno's tomb, Susilo replied: "I would
like to introduce a proper political practice in this country, a
noble political culture, which leaders must always respect."

He also plans to visit the grave of Mohammad Hatta, the
country's first vice president who accompanied Sukarno in
declaring Indonesia's independence in 1945.

Hatta was buried in Tanah Kusir cemetery in South Jakarta.