This is a legislature's coup, says Rodjil of PKB

This is a legislature's coup, says Rodjil of PKB

The National Awakening Party (PKB), founded by President
Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur, is now in the front line trying to
counter other political parties' campaigns to unseat the
President. PKB executive Rodjil Gufron spoke to The Jakarta Post.

Question: Campaigns to unseat President Abdurrahman Wahid, or
Gus Dur, have intensified, and peaked recently following
Megawati's declaration that she never personally supported the
President, while some parties have reversed their 1999 position
and now support a Megawati presidency. Your comment?

Answer: PKB has yet to hold an official meeting to discuss the
situation, but what's clear to me is the campaign by the axis
force (alliance of Islamic parties) to remove Gus Dur (and
intensify its campaign) while he's away.

They also launched this misinformation campaign, to mislead
public opinion. What I mean by misleading is that Megawati never supported
Gus Dur (this relates to Muhammadiyah leaders' statements after
meeting with the Vice President). Her remark was correct, because
during (the 1999 presidential election) the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) supported her candidacy, as
did PKB.

It was the axis force people who sought to nominate another
figure, namely Gus Dur. They campaigned (against a Megawati
presidency) using all means available, including trumpeting up
(religious sentiment) that it was prohibited for a woman to
become president, or that Megawati was faithless.

Those were all ploys by which they sought to block Megawati,
whose party won the democratic elections, from becoming president
-- which she deserved to be. But it's the MPR that elects the
President, so Gus Dur reluctantly agreed to being nominated. The
ulema (of Nahdlatul Ulama) had actually told Gus Dur against
accepting (the presidency).

Megawati's statement (about not supporting Gus Dur) was
actually a sideswipe to the axis force -- she was saying, "You
elected Gus Dur, I didn't."

Q: So she was actually telling the axis force off?

A: Yes, but they managed to manipulate her remark and make it
sound as if she was stating her refusal to work with Gus Dur
anymore, and that he should soon be replaced. This misleading
(information) is public deception.

I have asked my friends and members of the public about this,
and they understood that Megawati's remark was actually a
sideswipe. The axis force, Muhammadiyah and the "HMI connection"
(related to former activists of the Indonesian Muslim Students
Association) are making fools of the public.

Q: Your party remains in support of the Gus Dur-Megawati duo?

A: That is the constitutional position. As for this campaign
(against Gus Dur), I think the public understand so let the
people judge for themselves. They needn't have gone so far,
manipulating people's remarks like that.

Q: So you are holding your peace?

A: We still have a responsibility to educate people. We still
have to show what's right and what's not.

I think this campaign (against Gus Dur) is the dream of the
axis force, especially Amien Rais, as well as the New Order
people who are working so hard to replace the (national)
leadership. Because if people really push for total reform, they
will be crushed.

Therefore, our position is not to act as desperate as them.
They are really desperate, seeking to form a permanent alliance
in order to reach one target, namely to formally chip away at the
President's legitimacy. They have also apparently invited the
military in, (convincing them) to issue a joint-statement to end
Gus Dur's power and replace him with Megawati.

Q: You said this is a dream of the axis force, but do you see the
dream becoming a reality?

A: I don't see any problems as long as the campaign is carried
out by the rules of the game. The problem is, they are now
launching what can only be called a coup by the legislature.
Formally, they are producing a legislative decision (by issuing
the first memorandum against the President), but in substance,
they have violated all constitutional "traffic signs".

We must leave this matter to the public, which is the holder
of sovereignty. Let the people judge for themselves and make
efforts to uphold the Constitution. (Herry Nurdi)