President calls on the public to remain calm

President calls on the public to remain calm

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid, who is facing
growing pressure from his critics to step down, called on the
public on Wednesday to remain calm and not to react emotionally
to the country's political bickering.

In a statement released by the presidential secretary's
office, Abdurrahman appealed to his supporters "not to respond
too emotionally" to mounting criticism against the government.

"Those who want to express their support for the President are
requested to follow the political discourse calmly and
rationally," Gus Dur, as the President is popularly called, said.

He also called on the public "to entrust the political process
to the mechanism of the constitution".

The statement came as critics of the President have stepped up
their attacks in recent days, making concerted calls for his
resignation, accusing him of corruption and demanding a special
session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to oust him
from power.

MPR chairman Amien Rais, who has publicly admitted to
presidential ambitions of his own, has spearheaded the calls for
Abdurrahman to step down.

Last week, Amien apologized for backing Abdurrahman during the
presidential election last year, accused him of corruption and
vowed to oust him.

But Abdurrahman defended on Wednesday the right of legislators
to criticize the government saying that "criticizing" is one of
their duties.

He also dismissed suggestions that there had been bitter
conflict between legislators and the executive branch of the
government.

"Actually, it is not like that because what is happening now
is only dissatisfaction on the part of some legislators with the
performance of the government," Abdurrahman said.

"Statements from the lawmakers are not seen as an attack, but
it is a criticism, a warning for the government to get on the
right path."

Abdurrahman said the present conditions were instead "clear
proof that the seeds of democracy, sown by the reform movement
led by the students, have begun to grow in this country."

But he also said that because of the speed and suddenness of
the sowing of the seeds, "there are seeds that did not grow
perfectly, or overgrew and went out of proportion."

Abdurrahman also told Indonesians to offer constructive
criticism in the tradition of democracy.

"Statements of opinion should be conveyed in the spirit of
building a good tradition of democracy, which includes tolerance,
responsibility, ethics and obedience of the law," the President
said.

Attack

Abdurrahman's call for calm went unheard in Surabaya, however,
when around 100 people claiming to be his supporters, thronged
the local Islamic Students Association (HMI) office and burned
the organization's flag on Wednesday evening.

The mob, which came on trucks and motorcycles, arrived at
around 4:45 p.m. and forced the chairman of the HMI Surabaya
chapter, Susilo Rahardjo, to hold talks with them.

One of the protesters said the move was in retaliation for the
students' insulting the President during Tuesday's rally in the
East Java capital.

In another East Java town, Pasuruan, thousands of people
rallied to show support for Abdurrahman and demand the
resignation of MPR Speaker Amien Rais and House of
Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

However, dozens of students grouped in the Jakarta Student
Consortium took to the streets on Wednesday to join the calls for
Gus Dur's removal from the presidency.

The protesters accused the President of betraying the reform
movement and lashed out at his inability to cope with the
prolonged economic crisis.

After a half an hour protest at the Hotel Indonesia
roundabout, the protesters marched peacefully to the state palace
to air the same demands.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi Coordinating Minister for
Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
responded cautiously to the criticisms laid against Abdurrahman's
government.

Speaking during a visit to the South Sulawesi capital, Susilo
said all criticism "must be conveyed in an open, honest and
constructive manner".

"The government is open to criticism as long as it is done
properly," he said.

He reminded critics who pushed for Abdurrahman's resignation
that the nation agreed during the MPR annual session in August on
a consensus to work together to defuse the crises.

"So why do we have to waste time on a period of heated
debate?" Susilo remarked.

He said that so far he had not seen any convincing evidence
that Gus Dur's had violated the State Policy Guidelines or the
Constitution, the basic requirements for the filing of a motion
to impeach the President. (27/45/edt/asa/byg)