Moerdiono joins 'clobber' debate

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto's threat to "clobber" anyone attempting to unconstitutionally unseat him should serve as a warning to potential lawbreakers, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said yesterday.

"Pressing for political aspirations through undemocratic and unconstitutional means is against our legal and constitutional system. The President's remarks were a warning against those wanting to try to bring him down illegally," Moerdiono said.

He said Soeharto's statement was part of his duty to make sure law and the 1945 Constitution are upheld.

"President Soeharto was sworn-in to uphold the laws and the constitution. It is his job to take action against any unconstitutional efforts to disturb the nation's stability and order," he said.

President Soeharto triggered the debate last week when he visited the Central Java town of Boyolali to inaugurate a haj dormitory. In a dialog with prospective haj pilgrims, he said he would not hesitate to clobber anyone attempting to unseat him illegally.

Moerdiono said the President's statement was not the first to remind people of the constitutional way to play politics.

"President Soeharto has, since the beginning of his terms of office in the late 1960's, repeatedly called for people to abide by the constitution," he said.

Soeharto's warning was his second warning. The first was issued on his way home from a trip to Eastern Europe in 1989.

Asked whether there were signs of any unconstitutional attempts to disrupt national stability and order, Moerdiono said the President had obtained much information on the latest political developments.

"President Soeharto has many sources of information on the country's political situation," he said.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman said the President's statement did not suggest the government would take the law into his hand in disciplining lawbreakers.

"The government will always stick to the prevailing laws. We will not arbitrarily clobber anyone suspected of breaking laws," Soesilo said after chairing a National Oceanic Council plenary meeting yesterday.

He supported other officials' theory that the President's statement was to warn those flirting with the idea of trying to topple the government illegally.

"We will definitely take harsh action against them," he said.

But Soesilo refused to say if the government had a list of people it was watching. (imn)