Megawati 'will not join conspiracy' to topple President

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and aides close to chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri, said the party would not partake in any conspiracy to topple the President despite endorsing a legislative committee report which implicated the President in two financial scandals.

One of Vice President Megawati's political advisors, Cornelius Lay, said Megawati will not join a "political conspiracy" to topple President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Cornelius, who heads the Political Bureau at the Vice Presidential Secretariat, further asserted here on Saturday that Megawati had no intention of jumping on the political bandwagon to unseat the President despite her commitment to promoting a clean government.

"No, Mega is not interested in that political move although there is strong pressure on her to function as an Arroyo (the Philippine vice president who replaced president Joseph Estrada) who had to collaborate with a conspiracy to topple (the Philippine) president when the president committed mistakes," he told reporters after speaking at a discussion at the Yogyakarta- based Islamic University here.

He said Megawati would act as any normal vice president by helping the President to correct his past mistakes.

"According to our constitution, a vice president can become a president if the president is permanently unable to sit as president. A president's resignation over a certain mistake is another (possible) political scenario," Cornelius remarked.

He said that it would be very inappropriate if the Vice President is involved in a conspiracy to unseat the President.

Cornelis also said that unseating Abdurrahman would only bring the country into prolonged uncertainty affecting the credibility of the presidential institution.

"Mega doesn't want to see the President unseated before his or her term ends. If she joins the political drive to topple Gus Dur from the presidency, a similar thing can occur to her if she becomes president in the future," he said.

Cornelis believes that the movement to unseat Abdurrahman was among others being backed by remnants of the New Order regime and those who wanted to save themselves.

He said that there were clear signs that the past regime would attempt to return to the political arena by destroying the current government.

Cornelis assured that Vice President Megawati would not be tempted to follow the plot designed by those from the past regime.

"I don't think Megawati will easily fall into the political trap. She has learnt much from the past and that her supporters, particularly at the grassroots level, would reject her step if she does so," he said.

He further remarked that should Megawati engage in such a political move her own government would be short lived.

Separately in Medan, North Sumatra, the secretary general of PDI Perjuangan's central board, Sucipto, also asserted that the party has never had any intention of overthrowing the President.

"PDI Perjuangan rejects any attempt to topple the President through unconstitutional means," he said as quoted by Antara on Sunday.

Sucipto said the party will weigh calls for Abdurrahman's resignation calmly and rationally. (44)