MPR ready for snap special session

MPR ready for snap special session

JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly
made preparations on Thursday evening for a snap special session,
calling on members to be ready to convene here at short notice.

"The convening of the special session is only a matter of
hours, no longer days, away," Amien told journalists, after
attending a meeting of Assembly leaders and faction leaders of
the House of Representatives.

"So I warn Assembly members to be alert during the coming
days...please don't fall asleep," he added.

All Assembly members were instructed to make immediate
preparations to come to the capital. Those who were already here
were barred from leaving town.

Assembly Faction chiefs were also instructed to contact their
members as part of these preparations.

The sudden acceleration of activity was spurred on Thursday
afternoon by news that President Abdurrahman Wahid had instructed
the arrest of Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro, whom the
President had dismissed.

The Assembly is set to convene a special session on Aug. 1 to
seek the President's accountability. If the accountability is
rejected, Abdurrahman could be removed from office.

Abdurrahman has thus far been defiant and warned that he would
impose a state of emergency and dissolve the legislature if they
seek his accountability.

Several factions have proposed that the special session be
hastened from its current schedule. During a meeting on Monday
the Assembly agreed to hand the Assembly leaders the prerogative
to call a plenary session to convene a snap special session.

Amien has also warned that if the President imposes a state of
emergency the Assembly could convene a special session within a
matter of days.

Also present, accompanying Amien on Thursday, were Nazri
Adlani of the Interest Group faction, M. Husni Thamrin of the
United Development Party (PPP) faction, Soetjipto of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, Matori
Abdul Djalil of the National Awakening Party faction, Ginandjar
Kartasasmita of the Regional Representative faction, and Lt. Gen.
Hary Sabarno of the Indonesian Military/Police faction.

Representing the House factions were Arifin Panigoro and
Julius Usman of the PDI-P faction; Achmad Sumargono of the
Crescent Star Party faction; Syamsul Muarif, Fahmi Idris, Freddy
Latumahina, Rambe Kamarulzaman, Daryatmo of the Golkar Party
faction; Alvin Lie of the Reform faction; and Mudahan Hazdi of
the United Ummat Sovereignty faction.

"Assembly leaders have concluded that Gus Dur's (latest)
maneuvers are a threat to the safety of this country and is
driving it to disintegration," Amien remarked.

"What has been going on in our National Police is only one
example of his confused decision making."

Amien urged the President to cease making further
controversial and politically risky moves, as they would only
aggravate the situation further.

He also called on the general public to remain calm and
entrust their elected representatives to resolve the political
impasse in a constitutional manner.

Earlier in the day, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung once again
insisted that despite having "furtively" met Abdurrahman on
Tuesday, he had made no compromises and that his party, Golkar,
would stand by its support of the decision to convene a special
session.

"No one has ever said that the meeting (with the President)
would affect the special session. As I have said before, the
special session must be held to find a solution to this political
deadlock, in order to find that solution we could meet one
another in an informal manner," Akbar remarked.

Later on Monday, PDI Perjuangan Chairwoman and Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri underlined that there was no choice but to
convene a special session, given the President's actions over the
past few weeks.

"It is not a sudden decision, it is not a reactive decision,"
Megawati said.

Earlier in the morning, while in Yogyakarta, Amien further
signaled that room for compromise to save Abdurrahman's
presidency had vanished despite the President's apparent attempts
to meet and sway Akbar and PPP chief Hamzah Haz.

"The two (Akbar and Hamzah) are old hacks, they are
experienced politicians who won't easily change the agenda of the
special session," he told reporters, after opening the national
meeting of Muhammadiyah's Tabligh Assembly at Yogyakarta
Muhammadiyah University.

Amien also stressed that the meeting of the three figures was
informal in nature.

"Like in a boxing match, they (Akbar and Hamzah) were just
clinching their rival to prepare for the real bout at the special
session."

Without elaborating further, Amien said he was assured that
Akbar and Hamzah would not "betray" the agenda agreed by
legislators.(dja/tso/44)