Megawati will survive till 2004, Amien believes

Megawati will survive till 2004, Amien believes

JAKARTA (JP): Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) Amien Rais said on Friday that should Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri replace Abdurrahman Wahid as President,
she will survive until 2004 if she can maintain a corruption-free
coalition in her cabinet.

"Insya Allah (God willing), she will be successful as
president only if she can maintain a clean coalition and refuse
to take after the example set by her predecessors of dismissing
supporters," Amien said after paying his last respects to the
late noted economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo.

Amien, also chairman of the National Mandate party (PAN), was
responding to criticism of whether the Axis Force, a loose
coalition of Muslim-based parties, was sincere in formulating a
permanent coalition with Golkar Party and the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in an attempt to
hoist Megawati to presidency.

He said if President Abdurrahman did not ignore his
obligations to fight corruption, promote the rule of law and
promote national integration, as well as dismiss his coalition
partners, he would be able to continue as President in peace.

Commenting on Friday's breakfast between Abdurrahman and
Megawati at the latter's official residence, Amien said it was
probably useful for Gus Dur to learn about the latest
developments in the country.

Breakfast at Megawati's residence has become a habit of Gus
Dur's, giving an impression of a close relationship between the
two.

Amien, however, said that he had been informed of Megawati's
determination to resist being a stooge to anyone.

"Gus Dur has often given the impression that all his decisions
have been approved by Megawati and that TNI and PDI Perjuangan
were behind him, though in reality, they were not," he said.

Later in the day, deputy chairman of the Crescent Star Party
(PBB) Ahmad Sumargono said although there should not be a problem
for Megawati to be President, members of the political elite must
not put aside the fatwa (decree) that a woman could not be the
nation's leader.

"What has been called haram (forbidden for Muslims) is still
haram," Ahmad said to the press prior to the funeral of Soemitro
at the Karet Bivak public cemetery, South Jakarta.

However, Ahmad said that during an emergency, the decree could
be set aside as the public have no better choice over the
nation's leadership.

"There is only Gus Dur or Mbak Mega.

"Gus Dur has failed to carry this nation out of the crisis. He
is no longer a legitimate president, therefore the national
leadership must be replaced," he said.

Ahmad, however, said that members of the political elite
should determine the length of time this nation could be led by a
woman: that is only until 2004.

Ahmad added that Megawati should formulate her Cabinet by
accommodating professional people who are recommended by the
political parties which will be represented in the coalition
Cabinet.

He said the parties have already formulated a draft shadow
cabinet during their meeting held at the Dharmawangsa Hotel in
South Jakarta last Thursday night.

"The draft comprises candidates from the leading political
parties -- PDI Perjuangan, Golkar Party, the United Development
Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), PAN, and the
Justice Party (PK) -- according to their achievement in the 1999
general election," he said.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said on
Friday that President Abdurrahman will soon submit his reply to
the memorandum in an effort "to evade the image of existing
disputes between executives and legislators and to speed up
reconciliation (between members of the political elite)."

"Hopefully the reply, which is being prepared by Coordinating
Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, will be endorsed during breakfast between Gus
Dur and Megawati next Wednesday," Wimar said.

The first memorandum was issued by the House of
Representatives on Feb. 1 which censured Abdurrahman over two
financial scandals.

Separately, President Abdurrahman said on Friday that he would
allow all his political opponents to continue to pressure him to
resign "until they get tired of themselves".

"I will not take any action as that would only mean that I was
killing the democratic process," Abdurrahman said after a Friday
prayer at his residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. (02/edt)