MPR agrees to summon Habibie

MPR agrees to summon Habibie

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's highest law-making body, the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), decided on Tuesday to wait
for its next scheduled session to summon President B.J. Habibie
to present his account of the June 7 general election.

"The leadership meeting has decided to abide by the MPR 1998
decree which stipulates that President B.J. Habibie must account
for the general election at the next MPR session," MPR deputy
chairman Poedjono Pranyoto said.

Poedjono was quoted by Antara as dismissing speculation that
the People's Consultative Assembly would call a special session
before the meeting scheduled for November, in order to ask for
his account of his leadership.

"That is not true," Poedjono said, although acknowledging that
the speculation grew following the suggestion by a member of the
United Development Party (PPP), Rasyid Sulaiman, that Habibie be
summoned to give an account of his running of the country.

Separately, House of Representatives/MPR deputy chairman Hari
Sabarno said the institution did not have the "ill wish" of
calling a special MPR session.

The MPR leadership meetings on Aug. 26 and Aug. 30, instead
decided to ask Habibie to give his account at the scheduled
meeting. (swe)