PKB accept Assembly special session

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)