President puts aside protocol to meet protesters

President puts aside protocol to meet protesters

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri shrugged off security protocol to meet
hundreds of people who staged a protest across the street from
Merdeka Palace on Friday.

Abdurrahman insisted on meeting with employees of the defunct
ministry of social services to assure them that the government
would not let them suffer following the abolishment of their
office.

"Why should I be afraid to meet them? They are my own
children," he responded to some palace officials who tried to
prevent him from leaving the compound.

Presidential security guard chief Maj. Gen. Suwandi opened the
palace gate. The President had previously ordered guards to
remain unarmed and not to break up the demonstration violently.

"Our President is a bonek, so we must follow his order,"
Suwandi said as he gave instructions to his staff. Bonek refers
to the Javanese acronym for a daring soccer fan.

The dialog between the President with the protesters took
place after the swearing-in ceremony of his Cabinet members at
the State Guest House.

Abdurrahman and Megawati waved their hands to the crowd, who
were protesting a few hundred meters away from the palace. First
Lady Sinta Nuriyah and Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas also
accompanied their spouses.

"Madame Sinta used to participate in demonstrations despite
her poor health, so for her this is nothing new," said one of the
officers.

Nationwide protests broke out following Abdurrahman's decision
to scrap the ministry of information and ministry of social
services from his 35-strong Cabinet. Among those taking to the
streets on Friday were government employees in Central Java's
capital of Semarang and West Sumatra's capital of Padang.

"Mr. President, please do not abandon us and our family," one
of the protesters' representatives told Abdurrahman. Another
representative, a blind man, listened attentively to the
President.

Abdurrahman insisted that he would not back down, but promised
he would do his best for the 23,000 employees of the social
services ministry and the other 50,000 staff members of the
ministry of information.

"I will not let you suffer alone," the President assured them.

Separately, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
Tandjung met on Friday some 30 representatives of more than 5,000
people who rallied against the ministry of social services'
closure outside the legislative building.

"I understand that not all affairs can be handed over to
society or provincial administration since coordination is still
needed at the national level," Akbar said, who is also the
chairman of the Golkar Party.

Abdurrahman considered the abolishment of the information and
social services ministries to limit the government's control over
the affairs of society.

The President also based his decision on the fact that the
central government would give more authority to the regional
administration as part of regional autonomy.

Disabled people and community based social workers also joined
the rally at the House.

The delegation told Akbar that even developed countries, such
as the United States, have their own social services.

Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, the chairman of the House Commission
I for defense, security affairs and information told The Jakarta
Post that the commission would exercise its right to ask the
President to explain his decision to disband the two ministries.
(05/28/asa/edt/har/prb)