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)