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)