PDIP fights against other factions to save Megawati

PDIP fights against other factions to save Megawati

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post,Jakarta

The Reform faction at the People's Consultative Assembly on
Monday demanded an independent probe into the business dealings
of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's family and associates,
comparing her tactics to those conducted by former dictator
Soeharto.

The Reform faction, which is dominated by members of Assembly
Speaker Amien Rais' National Mandate Party (PAN) party, continued
attacks first launched on Saturday.

It called for the establishment of an independent supervisory
committee on the business activities of the president's family.

Deputy chairman of the faction Fuad Bawazier said the
committee could investigate the businesses of the President's
family and ensure they were honest.

The attempts were voted down by the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), of which Megawati is
chairwoman.

The party, the nation's largest, also blocked moves by the
National Awakening Party (PKB) and PAN for Megawati to present an
accountability report to the Assembly during the next Annual
Session in 2004.

Syafrin Romas of the PKB faction said Megawati was elected by
the current MPR and therefore should present an accountability
speech to the body that elected her.

"It will be much better if the accountability speech could be
delivered in April 2004 before the term of President Megawati
ends," he told Commission C1.

Megawatt's current term should end in October 2004.

PDI Perjuangan was quick to block the PKB's proposal.

Mangara Lumban Tobing of the PDI Perjuangan faction said the
proposal was dangerous for the country.

"We don't want next year's session to become a meeting where
factions launch attacks on the President's personal life like
what happened the other day," he said, referring to Saturday's
criticism of Megawati's family.

PDI Perjuangan even succeeded in pushing back next year's
planned Assembly session from April, as demanded by a number of
factions such as the PKB, to September 2004.

This means that the accountability report from Megawati -- if
it is eventually agreed by all factions -- would have little
impact on her bid for reelection as the first stage of the
presidential elections is likely be held in August.

PDI Perjuangan, nevertheless, faced another attack from the
Golkar faction, the second largest at the MPR, and PAN at the
MPR's Commission C2 overseeing recommendations for state
institutions, including the office of the president.

Golkar and PAN openly criticized, among other things, the
President's decision to purchase Russian-made Sukhoi fighter
jets, which they said violated various laws and regulations.

They also criticized the President for her failure to root out
corruption, collusion and nepotism, as mandated by the Assembly
through a decree.

They suggested that all those things be included in the
recommendations to the President.

PDI Perjuangan did not back down and struck back by proposing
the assembly recommend that the House of Representatives (DPR)
set up an honorary council to decide on the fate of its speaker
Akbar Tandjung, the chairman of Golkar, who was convicted of
corruption.

"How can people trust an institution led by a person who has
been sentenced to jail for corruption?" Dwi Ria Latifah of PDI
perjuangan asked.

The Golkar faction said the Assembly did not have the
authority to make such a recommendation.

"It could not take the place of the Supreme Court, which is
currently dealing with Pak Akbar's case."