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)