NU's stance

NU's stance

From Republika

Allow me to comment on the statement made by the chairman of the executive board of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), KH Hasyim Muzadi, in Surabaya that the board of NU rejected the replacement of the President without a general election.

This opinion is very difficult to comprehend because pursuant to the 1945 Constitution it is possible to replace the President without holding a general election. In 1967, for example, the power of then president Soekarno was revoked in the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). It must be borne in mind that the president of Indonesia is not directly elected by the people but by the Assembly. Therefore, the Assembly constitutionally reserves the right to replace the president if he or she violates the Constitution and the broad lines of the state's course.

In the United States, where the president is directly elected by the people, the Congress, in a joint session with the Senate, can replace a president without having to organize a general election. In 1974 then president Nixon chose to resign before the Congress impeached him.

Abdurrahman Wahid is the President of the Republic of Indonesia as elected by the Assembly and not the people directly. It must be noted that he is a member of the Assembly not representing a political party taking part in the general election. He has become a member of the Assembly because the General Election Commission appointed him to represent an appointed group known as the "Representatives of Social Groups". It is still fresh in our minds that his appointment led to controversy because it was Abdurrahman that declared the establishment of the National Awakening Party.

Therefore, the above statement made by the NU chairman in connection with the demand that Abdurrahman step down is both absurd and ridiculous because on the one hand, the board of NU rejects the replacement of Abdurrahman as President without going through a general election, while on the other, Abdurrahman got his Assembly membership without directly being elected by the people in a general election.

SUBAGIO ANAM

Legislator

PDI of Struggle Faction