PKB accept Assembly special session
JAKARTA (JP): The National Awakening Party (PKB), the strongest supporter of embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid said it would accept the possibility of a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly as the next step in the memorandum process currently being pursued by the legislature.
PKB Chairman Matori Abdul Djalil said he would accept the possibility of such a special session if it was necessary.
"We acknowledge the special session because our party took part in the decision-making process to issue the first and second memorandum at the House of Representatives," Matori said late on Thursday after receiving leaders of the 10 House factions at his official residence in South Jakarta.
"PKB is committed to follow the Constitution and will receive the results of the meeting sincerely," he remarked, referring to a Wednesday meeting of House faction leaders.
He underlined that the country should learn to deal with the political crisis through the constitutional process and to accept different opinions.
"By showing such commitment, the country should not have to worry anymore because all political powers have the same commitment to go through a constitutional and peaceful process to end the current crisis," Matori said.
Leaders of the 10-factions at the House started to meet major political party leaders on Thursday to brief them on the results of the meeting.
They visited Golkar Party Chairman Akbar Tandjung and the Chairman of PKB, Matori Abdul Djalil on Thursday night, and the Crescent Stars Party (PBB) Chairman, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, on Friday.
"We are submitting the results of the factions' meeting to the party chairmen and so far we have received positive responses from them," the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction secretary, Heri Akhmadi, said on Friday.
"We are especially surprised with the positive remarks from Pak Matori, when he received us at his home on Thursday evening," Heri said.
PDI Perjuangan, the largest faction at the House hosted the factions' meeting on Wednesday, which agreed the country needed to pass constitutional procedures at the House to have an effective and acceptable government that would lead the country out of crisis.
Many said the meeting is to pave the way to ensure a peaceful special session of the Assembly that could ask for President Abdurrahman Wahid who has been censured twice by the House.
Earlier, several top executives of PKB expressed strong criticism against the Vice President and PDI Perjuangan Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri saying that she should resign if she wants to engage in the fight for the presidency.
It was not clear whether Matori's stance also represents other executives of the party who have rejected the Assembly special session. (dja)