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)