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)