President asked to identify corrupt ministers

YOGYAKARTA (JP): People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais aired yet another criticism to President Abdurrahman Wahid on Sunday, lashing out at his refusal to identify three ministers allegedly involved in graft.

Speaking after a ground breaking ceremony which marked the start of the development of Baitul Qohhar Mosque in Kota Gede subdistrict here, Amien said Abdurrahman, popularly known as Gus Dur, failed to change his old habit of "puzzling people with controversial statements".

"Gus Dur carries on with his old habit from when he was the Nahdlatul Ulama chairman," Amien said.

Amien was commenting on Abdurrahman's latest remark, in which he predicted that three ministers would follow in the footsteps of coordinating minister for people's welfare and poverty eradication Hamzah Haz, who resigned late last month.

During his trip to the United States earlier last month, Abdurrahman indicated that three members of his 36-strong Cabinet might have been involved in corruption in the past. He later declared Minister of Law and Legal Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra, widely touted as one of the three in question, as "clean".

Hamzah, who chairs the United Development Party (PPP), was replaced by former rector of Makassar-based Hasanuddin University Basri Hasanuddin on Tuesday.

Abdurrahman's move sparked controversy and protests from PPP members, calling him "ungrateful" as PPP and the axis force, a loose political alliance of Muslim-based parties forged by Amien, were supporters of Abdurrahman's presidential bid.

The President suggested on Saturday that the three ministers allegedly involved in a swindle resign before being sent to court.

"Again the President springs a surprise," Amien said. "He always foretells mysterious things," Amien quipped, adding that he did not have any idea about who the three ministers were.

"It is better for Abdurrahman to disclose the names to Attorney General Marzuki Darusman rather than make blurry statements."

In Semarang, Minister of Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises Zarkasih Nur, who is also a PPP deputy chairman, asserted on Saturday that he would not resign from his Cabinet post.

"I've been told by my friends in the PPP and axis force not to resign and I work as a Cabinet minister as usual," Zarkasih said before leaving for Jakarta.

PPP's central board is to hold a leadership meeting on Monday to ask the President to clarify reasons of Hamzah's dismissal and circulating rumors that he is being investigated for graft. (44/har/edt)