PPP firm on its stance on special session

PPP firm on its stance on special session

BANDUNG (JP): United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah
Haz on Thursday remained unrelenting in his argument for a
special session of the People's Consultative Assembly, saying
that it would help reduce tension and conflict.

"The sooner the better. Why? Because a special session would
not necessarily topple Gus Dur," Hamzah said on the sidelines of
a commemoration of PPP's 28th anniversary here.

Hamzah said that the President could prove his innocence in
the Brunei and Bulog scandals through such a special session.

"In the previous memorandum we have only alleged the possible
involvement of the President ... and the memorandum is a moderate
and constitutional means of handling such a matter. It should be
accommodated and not rejected (by Abdurrahman)," he said.

If Abdurrahman can prove his innocence in a special session,
"Gus Dur may gain more trust and continue his administration
until 2004," Hamzah added.

The political tension between the House and the President has
seeped through to the grassroots level.

Rallies, either supporting the President or demanding his
resignation, have become a daily occurrence in many cities. In
East Java pro-Abdurrahman rallies have turned violent with
protesters attacking the offices of the Golkar Party and
Muhammadiyah facilities.

Later on Thursday around 100 students from Muhammadiyah
schools in Bandung staged a protest criticizing attacks of their
facilities in East Java.

Meanwhile in Semarang, Central Java, around 300 youths calling
themselves the Alliance Against the New Order Regime staged a
protest in support of Abdurrahman's administration.

In Jakarta, around 80 Muslim clerics from Central Java and
Yogyakarta staged a demonstration at the House of
Representatives compound demanding the legislative body annul its
censure of the President and revoke the memorandum issued on Feb.
1.

Muhaimin Gunardo, spokesman for the clerics who claim to be
affiliated to the Nadhlatul Ulama Muslim organization, said there
were no grounds for the House to issue the memorandum.

"The memorandum must be revoked because the House does not
have adequate evidence or plausible reasons to make the
decision," he told reporters.

"It was clearly issued based on political engineering designed
to topple the President."

Muhaimin was clearly disappointed that the group had failed to
meet House speaker Akbar Tandjung. He claimed that the clerics
had been informed that Akbar would be available to meet with them
at 2 p.m..

Eventually they met with House Deputy Speaker A.M. Fatwa and
chairman of the Golkar Party faction Syamsul Muarif, who accepted
a copy of the clerics' concerns.

"It is better for us to go home because Akbar Tandjung is not
here. We wanted to hold a dialog with Akbar and not Fatwa or
Syamsul," said Muhaimin.

Fatwa revealed that Akbar asked him to accompany Syamsul to
receive the clerics on his behalf as the House speaker had other
pressing engagements.

Achmad Badhawi Basir, director of the Darul Falah Islamic
Boarding School in Jepara, said the ulemas were very disappointed
and felt humiliated.

"The House does not appreciate our long trip from remote areas
in Central Java and Yogyakarta. We were informed that we would be
received at 2 p.m. and arrived here on time, but the House
speaker won't receive us," he said.

Muhaimin, who is also director of the Bambu Runcing Islamic
Boarding School in Magelang, Central Java, warned that the anti-
Golkar rallies in East Java could spread to Central Java and
Yogyakarta if the House refuses to revoke the memorandum.

"The House must be blamed if Central Java and Yogyakarta in
turn emulate what happened in East Java," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction
regretted Akbar's absence during the arranged meeting with the
clerics, saying the House speaker was being discriminative.

"Akbar is being discriminative because he received bogus
clerics last week," Effendi Choirie, a member of the PKB faction,
said.

Last week, Akbar received 40 anti-Gus Dur clerics who also
claimed to be NU ulemas from West Java and Banten.

The clerics demanded that the President step down voluntarily
because he had lost the House's political support.
(edt/25/har/rms)