Rumors abound of political intrigue

Rumors abound of political intrigue

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid returned from a
nine-day foreign tour on Monday amid rumors of intensive backroom
dealings between major political parties to try to remove him
from office.

Gus Dur, as the President is popularly called, came home to a
different political atmosphere than the one he left behind on
April 8 when he embarked on a trip that took him to South Africa,
Mexico, Cuba, Japan and Hong Kong.

Abdurrahman proceeded directly to the presidential palace upon
arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma air base. He made no statement
upon his arrival, much to the disappointment of the hordes of
journalists anxious for his comment on the new situation he found
himself in after the foreign visit.

House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais, however, toned
down their statements, having earlier condoned calls for an
emergency MPR session to scrutinize and possibly remove the
President from office.

Gus Dur received on Monday a pledge of support from Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri who visited him at Merdeka
Palace soon after his arrival.

A source close to the palace said that during the meeting,
Megawati reiterated her loyalty to the President, dashing rumors
that she had also been involved in some of the backroom political
dealings to replace Gus Dur.

"She assured the President that she would never break her
pledge to be his loyal partner under any circumstances," the
source told The Jakarta Post.

The MPR is scheduled to hold its General Session in August,
but there have been calls to either turn the meeting into an
emergency session, or hold one earlier than scheduled, to put the
President's record under scrutiny and possibly remove him from
office.

Amien meanwhile called on the public to judge his criticism of
the President as a part of his efforts to improve the
government's performance, and not to undermine the government.

Amien said his National Mandate Party (PAN) and Muslim parties
grouped under the Axis Force had no intention of moving to
replace the President. "We (the Axis Force) don't play behind the
scenes. We always state our opinions openly," he said.

Gus Dur and Amien have exchanged tirades through the media
over the past week.

Amien attacked the President for his plan to lift the ban on
communism, while Gus Dur accused Amien of making reckless
political statements by condoning the calls for an MPR emergency
meeting to review Gus Dur's performance.

The Islamic Crescent Star Party (PBB), one of the members of
Amien's Axis Force, has already announced its intention to call
for a special MPR meeting because of the President's plan to end
the ban on communism.

Amien changed his tune on Monday, saying that the MPR's
scheduled meeting in August would not be an occasion to ask for
the President's accountability, but only to hear his progress
report.

House Speaker Akbar made an about-face by throwing his support
behind Gus Dur.

"Gus Dur was elected democratically. He should be supported,"
Akbar, who is also chairman of the Golkar Party, said.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) appeared ambivalent on the
question of whether or not a special MPR meeting was necessary.

In Malang, East Java, TNI Chief of Territorial Affairs Lt.
Gen. Agus Widjojo stressed that the military fully trusted the
people's representatives and political elites to carry out the
national political agenda, including the planned MPR session.

When asked if TNI would fully support the government, Agus
said: "Let's see the procedures and the mechanisms. Everything
will emerge at the coming MPR session."

Agus was in Malang for a highly publicized dialog between TNI
top officers with leaders of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU),
Indonesia's largest Muslim organization which Gus Dur chaired for
15 years until his election to the presidency in October.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto, considered a loyal
Gus Dur supporter, separately renewed his support for the
President.

"The Army will remain consistent in its support for Gus Dur
and his legitimate government because he was elected through a
democratic and valid election," Tyasno said in Jakarta when asked
to comment on the call for an Assembly special session.

He said he did not see the need for the House to call for a
MPR special session. "The President has not violated the
Constitution or the state policy guidelines," he said, adding
that Gus Dur's five-year term of office should be maintained.

"If Gus Dur goes, then according to the Constitution, he will
be replaced by Vice President Megawati. If we are not satisfied
with Megawati, then we can call for an MPR emergency session," he
said.

Later, when he traveled to Malang, Tyasno stated that the
military would stay out of politics and instead improve its
professionalism.

Ichlasul Amal, rector of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta,
said there were not enough grounds for the MPR to remove
Abdurrahman from office.

"Under our presidential system, a president can only be
impeached if he is involved in a crime, such as corruption," he
said. (44/jun/nur/sur/prb/rms)