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)