Rallies continue ahead of House session

JAKARTA (JP): Anti and pro-government rallies continued on Friday ahead of the House of Representatives plenary session next Monday that will mark the delivery of the House special committee's findings concerning two financial scandals allegedly involving President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.

At least five groups of protesters voiced their demands at the House and held meetings with legislators demanding either the halting or the continuation of the investigation.

Friday's rallies were marked by an incident when deputy House speaker Andi Mappetahang Fatwa was hit by a pair of dirty socks thrown by a Cirebon, West Java supporter of Abdurrahman.

The incident happened when Fatwa was holding a meeting with dozens of Abdurrahman's supporters from three groups, namely the National Unity Defenders Forum from Cirebon, the Forum of Concerned Citizens from Brebes in Central Java and the Alliance of Central Java Citizens.

After nearly two hours of heated debate with Fatwa, who is known for his strong criticism of Abdurrahman, one of the protesters suddenly came forward and threw the dirty socks in Fatwa's face.

"This is a pair of dirty socks to stuff your mouth with so that you will shut up," the protester shouted while throwing the socks.

Police officers then surrounded Fatwa and escorted him back to his office, while the protesters left the meeting room immediately.

Hundreds of university students from across Java expressed their support for the House special committee and demanded the House continue the investigation.

The students hailed from the Brawijaya State University in Malang, East Java, the Sebelas Maret State University in Surakarta, Central Java, the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta and the Bogor Agricultural Institute.

"The House should be consistent and continue with the investigation into both financial scandals. And Abdurrahman should be held responsible for his alleged involvement in the scandals," the statement from the students said.

They were referring to the Rp 35 billion (US$3.6 million) scandal involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and the $2 million donation from Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Meanwhile, President Abdurrahman Wahid claimed on Friday that his deputy Megawati Soekarnoputri fully supports him and is in favor of seeing his presidency through until it ends in 2004.

Abdurrahman was quoted by Antara as saying in Jambi that Megawati was willing to support him since she "is willing to put the nation's interests before those of others."

"I am the one who knows her best. She (Megawati) always leaves things up to me to decide," Abdurrahman said after Friday prayers at the Al Falah grand mosque.

Abdurrahman added that Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which is the largest faction in the House of Representatives (DPR), was also fully behind the President.

Abdurrahman has repeatedly denied that he is at odds with Megawati saying that "the duo of Gus Dur (Abdurrahman's nickname) and Megawati should never be broken".

However, Megawati, who is media-shy and infamous for her silence, has so far never expressed whether or not she really was behind the President.

In preparation for an increasing number of rallies, National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro said in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday that the police would deploy 40,000 personnel, including troops from the Army and Marines, in the capital next Monday.

"I have ordered all regional police chiefs not to hesitate in taking stern measures against any anarchic actions perpetrated by protesters.

"Even in the United States, the police are allowed to shoot lawbreakers, so we should not hesitate," Bimantoro said.

Meanwhile, chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB)'s East Java chapter Choirul Anam said he would send 300 party supporters to the capital on Jan. 29 to observe the plenary session.

"I cannot stop the people from going there (Jakarta) as they really want to defend Abdurrahman. If things get worse at the House, we'll send more people," Anam said.

In Yogyakarta, more than 500 students from various universities held a mass rally here on Friday, calling on President Abdurrahman to resign.

Calling themselves members of th the Reformist Student and Youth Front (GAMMPAR), the students staged their rally in front of the Yogyakarta Provincial Council.

One of the protesters said Gus Dur had disappointed the Indonesian people.

"We were very glad when he was appointed as President. But, what have we got today? Gus Dur has been developing his own political agenda and a new form of KKN," he shouted.

Another protester said the Bulog and Brunei scandals showed that Gus Dur had ignored the people's aspirations.

Meanwhile, serious traffic congestion occurred in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi, when hundreds of anti-Abdurrahman protesters from the People's Reform Forum Guardian Movement, blocked the city's main thoroughfare on Friday. (23/27/byg/dja/nur/rms)