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)