Megawati urged to speak up about Laksamana dismissal

Megawati urged to speak up about Laksamana dismissal

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Noted political scientist Riswanda Imawan
said that as the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Megawati Soekarnoputri could not
remain silent on the dismissal of one of her party members from
the Cabinet.

Riswanda, a lecturer at Gadjah Mada University's School of
Social and Political Sciences, said Megawati should elaborate on
her view of the replacement of senior PDI Perjuangan member
Laksamana Sukardi by Rozy Munir from the National Awakening Party
(PKB) as state minister of investment and state enterprises
development.

He further argued that even if she consented to the
replacement, it was in her interest to ensure the new minister
came from her party's ranks.

"Megawati even has reason enough to resign after what Gus Dur
did to PDI Perjuangan. If she is astute, she should resign as
Vice President and concentrate on leading her party as an
opposition to the government," he said on the sidelines of a
seminar here on Saturday. Gus Dur is President Abdurrahman
Wahid's nickname.

Riswanda praised the Golkar Party for protesting the dismissal
of party member Yusuf Kalla as minister of industry and trade.

Riswanda suggested PDI Perjuangan work closely with Golkar in
addressing the President's decision to replace the two ministers.

"The President must also replace a Golkar representative in
the Cabinet with another cadre from Golkar," he remarked.

Riswanda reiterated his suspicion that Abdurrahman's hasty
decision was provoked by agitation from certain political elites
close to the President.

He said Abdurrahman could not use the pretext of his
prerogative as President to dismiss ministers, as he himself
often stated that the formation of the Cabinet in October was a
compromise with major political parties and political interests.

In related development, Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of the
Nahdlatul Ulama, suggested in Bandung on Sunday that President
Abdurrahman Wahid meet with the leaders of the Golkar and PDI
Perjuangan parties to clear up the controversy over the firing of
the two ministers.

Hasyim asserted at an Islamic gathering in the West Java
capital city that it was the President's prerogative to dismiss
his Cabinet ministers irrespective of whether they had committed
any wrongdoings or not.

"The problem, though, is how to balance the President's
prerogative with the objective of sustaining support of the
political parties represented in the Cabinet," Hasyim said.

He conceded that the replacement of the two ministers could
erode the support of other political parties in Abdurrahman's
government.

"It is therefore urgent for the President to meet with leaders
of the two political parties to straighten things out," added
Hasyim, who replaced Abdurrahman as chairman of the Nahdlatul
Ulama organization after the latter was elected the fourth
Indonesian president last October.

Kalla welcomed

Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered at Hassanuddin Airport
in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Saturday to welcome Yusuf Kalla.

The crowd, which included residents, students and councilors,
gave the former minister, who is recognized as a generous
philanthropist in his hometown, an emotional welcome when his
plane touched down at about 5 p.m.

No one was more surprised at the outpouring of support than
Kalla. "Everybody, please stay calm. This is too much," he said
as the crowd pressed in around him.

Those at the airport seemed to share the same opinion as to
the reason for the emotional welcome: they felt the President had
treated a local hero unfairly.

"Gus Dur has gone too far. We all feel sorry for Pak Yusuf,
that's why we came here," councilor Nasran Mone said.

M. Takbir, one of the many Hasanuddin University students in
the crowd, said: "When Gus Dur first replaced Pak Yusuf we were
patient. But then when (Yusuf) was accused of KKN (the acronym
for corruption, collusion and nepotism), we realized that he was
being destroyed."

Later at a media conference, Kalla reiterated his innocence of
all allegations of KKN, adding that he had documented proof to
back his claim.

Referring to a state-owned PT PLN power plant project tender
in which he allegedly was in collusion with eventual winner PT
Bukaka, Kalla said all relevant papers and documents had been
presented to the President.

Kalla claimed an ethnic Chinese businessman had called and
persuaded the President stating the tender had been unfairly won.

"Bukaka fairly won the international tender. But apparently
Gus Dur would rather believe a Chinese man than me," he said.

Asked if he would be willing to return to the Cabinet and work
with the President should a House of Representatives commission
looking into the allegations of KKN exonerate him, Kalla curtly
dismissed the possibility of again working with Abdurrahman.

"Working in Gus Dur's Cabinet is no fun and unharmonious. How
can you work well if all he does every day is slander people,
including his own subordinates." (27/44/25)