MPR asked to hold special session

MPR asked to hold special session

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives voted
overwhelmingly in favor of calling on the People's Consultative
Assembly to hold a special session to request President
Abdurrahman Wahid account for his administration's performance.

The special session, expected to be held in about two months,
could spell the end of Abdurrahman's presidency if his account is
rejected.

Abdurrahman has not yet commented on the House's decision.

A total of 365 legislators in the 500-seat House voted late on
Wednesday evening to call for a special session.

"The House has found that President Abdurrahman Wahid has
failed to heed the second memorandum of censure so, based on MPR
Decree No.03/1978, the House calls on the People's Consultative
Assembly to hold a special session to ask for the President to
account for his administration's performance," Sri Sumarjati,
secretary general of the House, said, reading the plenary
session's decision.

The 365 legislators who supported the special session were
from seven of the 10 House factions who, during the afternoon
session presided by Deputy House Speaker Soetadjo Soerjogoeritno,
expressed disappointment in the President.

The seven factions were the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar Party, United Development Party
(PPP), the Reform Faction, the Indonesian Nationhood and Unity
(FKKI) faction, Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the United Ummat
Sovereignty Faction.

All 38 members of the Indonesian Military/National Police
faction plus Astrid Susanto, a legislator of the Love the Nation
Democratic Party (PDKB) decided to abstain during the vote.

There were four rejections from the Love the Nation Democracy
Party (PDKB).

Meanwhile, 51 legislators of the President's National
Awakening Party (PKB) decided to walk out of the meeting after
delaying the proceedings with various technical and
administrative protests.

PDI Perjuangan and Golkar, the two largest factions in the
House holding 153 and 120 seats respectively, both said they were
disappointed with the President's reply to the House's two
memorandums of censure.

Sophan Sophian, spokesman for the PDI Perjuangan faction, said
his faction pointed out that, despite repeated reminders, the
President decided to ignore the House's warnings.

He noted the President's threat to impose a state of emergency
to pave the way to dissolve the House as one example of
Abdurrahman's recalcitrance.

Sophan also lamented the President's last ditch attempts such
as offering Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri a transfer of
power that violated constitutional procedures.

"With such a power-transfer proposal, the President was trying
to shift our party's attention to another problem, although we
know the main problem is not between him and the Vice President
but between him and the House of Representatives," he argued.

Evita Asmalda, spokeswoman of Golkar, said her faction was
disappointed that Abdurrahman only sought a possible political
compromise at the last minute, after he had been politically
cornered.

"The President offered a political compromise too late," she
said.

Meanwhile, both the PKB and PDKB factions called on major
parties to continue making efforts toward a compromise with the
President in order to avoid conflict at the grassroots level.

The Indonesian Military/National Police faction remained
consistent with its previous suggestion that the political elite
should seek political compromise through dialog.

Brig. Gen. Posma Tobing, spokesman for the faction, said the
division between the President and the House over the
investigation into two economic scandals should be brought to the
Assembly to solve.

"However, our faction will accept any decision the House
makes," he said.

Delay

PKB legislators were successful in dragging proceedings to the
point of chaos as opposition party figures became frustrated with
the PKB's delaying tactics.

Among the technical and administrative points raised by PKB
was the validity of votes of former ministers Kwik Kian Gie,
Laksamana Soekardi and Benny Pasaribu.

The three PDI Perjuangan members were accused of violating
membership rules as their membership of the House was not revoked
during the period when they held Cabinet posts.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said after the plenary session
that the House would hand over a decision to the Assembly's
leadership on Thursday morning.

He warned the President of his probable impeachment if the
Assembly rejects his accountability speech in the special
session.

"According to official procedure, the Assembly Working
Committee will make preparations for the special session in the
next two months," Akbar remarked.

In the special session the President is expected to be asked
to present his response to the House's memorandum of censure,
which stipulated that he violated the presidential oath and the
Assembly Decree on clean government in his alleged involvement in
the two economic scandals.

"If the President's accountability is rejected, he will be
requested to amend it. If the amended speech is also rejected, it
will be over for the President," he said.

He, however, said the special session's agenda could be
altered if the President and major political parties reached a
political compromise and if he made significant advances in the
next two months.

"Gus Dur still has a little bit of time left to survive the
special session. I'm not sure he will be able to make significant
progress," he said.

Akbar noted that although the House has already recommended a
special session there was still hope for Abdurrahman.

"There is still a small chance," he said. (rms/dja)