PDI Perjuangan, Golkar reject Special Session

PDI Perjuangan, Golkar reject Special Session

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) and the Golkar Party rejected on Wednesday any
proposal to convene a Special Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) which could lead to the toppling of
President Abdurrahman Wahid.

PDI Perjuangan senior legislator Soetardjo Soerjoguritno and
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung both affirmed the view of
their parties that the President had not done anything to warrant
such an extraordinary session.

"If there is a faction asking for a Special Session on the
President's accountability, PDI perjuangan would reject it. The
President has not violated the Constitution so far," Soetardjo,
who is also the House of Representatives (DPR) deputy speaker,
said.

Soetardjo regretted earlier remarks by Assembly Speaker Amien
Rais, who suggested the session, saying that it would only create
national instability.

"I think Pak Amien's comments overstepped his capacity as
Assembly speaker. Such comments should come from the House
instead of the Assembly," he said.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung also said that the House never
proposed such a session as the President had not violated the
Constitution.

"There is no demand in the House for a Special Session," Akbar
said.

Commenting on Amien's remarks, Akbar said the Assembly speaker
should think before making such comments.

"Pak Amien should realize his capacity when criticizing the
government," he added.

Besides Amien, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) has also called
for a Special Session. The calls were largely sparked by
Abdurrahman's support for a revocation of the ban on communism.

The National Awakening Party (PKB), the party which
Abdurrahman helped establish, retaliated on Tuesday by calling
for Amien's resignation as Assembly speaker.

On Wednesday, Amien brushed off PKB's demand for his
resignation.

"There is no precedence in history where an Assembly speaker
has been impeached by a party. Only a president can be impeached
by an Assembly speaker," Amien said.

Meanwhile, in Yogyakarta, political observer Cornelis Lay said
the developing political intrigue was a spillover from the
personal rivalry between Abdurrahman and Amien.

Lay pointed out that the rivalry had not only effected allies
of the two leaders in the political elite but also at the grass
roots level.

He even went so far as to suggest that if the recent wave of
mass protests by teachers continued, then it must be politically
engineered to undermine the government. (09/44/jun)