PDI Perjuangan seeks to censure Amien
PDI Perjuangan seeks to censure Amien
JAKARTA (JP): The faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) called on the House of
Representatives' leadership on Monday to censure Amien Rais, the
speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), for
advocating federalism.
"Amien Rais's statements about a federal system violate the
oath of people's representatives who must be loyal to (state
ideology) Pancasila and the Unitary State of the Republic of
Indonesia," faction chairman Dimyati Hartono told reporters.
"An Assembly speaker who violates his oath of office can be
replaced midterm," Dimyati said pointing out Assembly in-house
rules, Antara reported.
He added that it was the faction's duty to pinpoint mistakes
committed by Amien Rais.
The MPR leadership was a collective one, and therefore any
decision should be made collectively, he said. "Any political
decision made by the Assembly speaker must first be discussed
with the entire leadership," he added.
PDI Perjuangan is the largest faction in the House although it
does not have the majority.
Amien has on several occasions publicly supported the idea of
discussing a federal system of government as an alternative to
the current unitary system because of growing discontent in the
region.
The debate on federalism, once regarded a taboo subject, was
spawned from the discourse about the fears of national
disintegration brought on by the insurgencies in Aceh and a
number of other provinces in Indonesia.
Amien also chairs the National Mandate Party (PAN), which
forms the minority Reform faction in the House with the Muslim
Justice Party. Although a minority faction, he secured the MPR
leadership in October after a complex bargaining process with
other factions.
Dimyati said that as far as PDI Perjuangan was concerned, the
unitary state of government was not up for negotiation, and the
party would defend the current system and was prepared to face
all the consequences.
He said the crux of the matter in Aceh and other provinces was
the lack of justice in politics, economics and other fields from
the central government. It had nothing to do with the desire for
independence or for a federal system of government.
If the central government could ensure that justice was
carried out, then the people would stop talking about
independence, he said, adding that their demand referendum was
just a way of drawing attention from the central government.
Separately, Soetardjo Soerjoguritno, the deputy House speaker
from PDI Perjuangan, said the House leadership would discuss
Amien's behavior on Wednesday.
He agreed that Amien had exceeded his authority as the head of
the country's highest institution. "Unless we deal with the
problem, state order will be destroyed," Soetardjo said. (emb)