Parties doubtful of Gus Dur's impeachment

JAKARTA (JP): With support aplenty for a People's Consultative Assembly special session to impeach President Abdurrahman Wahid, a top official of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction in the Assembly says signs of apprehension are visible among the power brokers over whether to proceed with the constitutional move.

Chairman of the PKB faction, Yusuf Muhammad, told the media at the House of Representatives building on Tuesday that even major factions like the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar were uncertain about the prospect of an MPR special session.

"All political forces are anxious to move ahead to the special session. We, therefore, call for a settlement to the nation's problems though political compromise," Yusuf said.

The PKB was founded by Abdurrahman, who is now the party's chief patron.

Yusuf said that PDI Perjuangan, despite its leading role, was half-hearted about the move to haul Abdurrahman before an MPR special session.

"They're still not certain that they'll be able to resolve the crisis facing the nation after assuming power. Besides, they are still traumatized by the Axis Force maneuver," Yusuf said.

The Axis Force, a loose coalition of Muslim parties, catapulted Abdurrahman to the presidency at Megawati's expense in 1999, but now staunchly supports her elevation to the top executive job in place of Abdurrahman.

Yusuf said Golkar also "feels secure" under Abdurrahman, because he allows the party to have a say in both the economic field and the bureaucracy.

The Axis Force, according to Yusuf, will be facing a split when it comes to the question of the vice presidency should Megawati take over the reins of power from Abdurrahman.

"Therefore, an (Assembly) special session is just a way to solve the problems and not the solution itself. There is a chance of reaching political compromises," Yusuf said.

Separately, the moves of House faction leaders to convene a special session in order to produce an effective government gained more support, with the United Development Party (PPP) calling for an accelerated special session.

Hamzah Haz, the chairman of PPP, said his party fully accepted the conclusion reached by House faction leaders that Abdurrahman's government had lost the support of the majority of political parties and that an effective government was urgently needed to defuse the protracted crisis.

He was speaking after a two-hour meeting with leaders of five factions at the PPP headquarters here on Tuesday afternoon.

The faction leaders were Arifin Panigoro of PDI Perjuangan, Syamsul Muarif of Golkar, Alimarwan Hanan of PPP, Hatta Radjasa of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Amiruddin Djaja Subita of the Ummat Sovereignty Party (PDU).

The faction leaders had previously met with Yuzril Ihza Mahendra, chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), and Amien Rais, the chairman of PAN. Both figures pledged their support for a special session to overcome the political crisis.

Arifin, who acted as spokesman for the faction leaders, said they would soon meet with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, and Indonesian Military commander Admiral Widodo Adi Sutjipto.

The faction leaders reiterated that they preferred a special session as a constitutional way of resolving the political deadlock, rather than a Cabinet reshuffle based on the parties' representation in the House.

"The President recently offered a political compromise but the major parties have given it the cold shoulder," said Syamsul.

Arifin dismissed a political compromise, saying the main problem was not the cabinet but the President himself.

Meanwhile, PDI Perjuangan gave a strong signal on Tuesday that they would support a special session, saying that the President had yet to response to the second House censure.

Kwik Kian Gie, a senior party member, said after a meeting with Megawati at her official residence that the President had ignored the two memorandums of censure served on him.

"If the President provides a satisfactory response then it will stop, but if the reply is disappointing, there will be no other option than a special session," he said.

In Surabaya, East Java, a number of mass organizations that claimed to be affiliated to PDI Perjuangan stated their opposition to the proposed special session and threatened to sever their ties with the party if their protests were ignored.

The organizations, grouped under the umbrella of the People's Sovereignty Unity Front (Sakera), had around one million supporters, coordinator of the movement Supriyanto claimed on Tuesday.

He further asserted that he did not believe Megawati had given support for a special session to impeach President Abdurrahman Wahid. (rms/dja/emf/nur)