TNI to 'secure' Wiranto's suspension

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) avowed its support for President Abdurrahman Wahid on Monday, pledging to "secure" the decision to suspend former military chief Gen. Wiranto from his cabinet post.

"TNI will completely respect the decision of the president, and faithfully ensure and secure it's implementation," TNI Chief Adm. Widodo A.S. said of Abdurrahman's late night turnaround to suspend Widodo's predecessor from his post as coordinating minister for political affairs and security.

Speaking on the sidelines of a gathering to mark the opening of the National Awakening Party's working meeting here Monday afternoon, Widodo expressed confidence that Wiranto would also accept the decision.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto put down any speculation of a breakaway faction loyal to their former chief, emphasizing that "the army, airforce and navy" were committed and loyal to upholding the president's decision.

As an institution that upholds law and order, Tyasno asserted that the military will defend any decision which is in accordance with the law.

"As long as the law is put in the right proportion, the military will accept it," he said.

When asked whether the suspension of Wiranto raised the potential for unrest, Tyasno replied: "God willing, no it will not".

President Abdurrahman dropped a bomb-shell close to midnight Sunday by abruptly reversing his initial decision not to suspend Wiranto from his cabinet post.

Earlier Sunday, after meeting with Wiranto, Abdurrahman said he would retain Wiranto in the cabinet pending a probe into his alleged involvement in the East Timor violence.

But later, without any warning, Abdurrahman caught everyone off guard by reverting to his earlier decision and said he would suspend Wiranto and appoint Home Minister Surjadi Soedirdja as interim coordinating minister for political affairs and security.

Wiranto and his lawyers were still unaware of the reversal at 9:30 p.m Sunday.

There was no clear explanation from the president as to why he abruptly altered his decision.

What drew even more questions was the fact that Surjadi was inducted as interim coordinating minister during an official ceremony at the State Palace, an unusual move for an interim position.

Apart from Surjadi, Bondan Gunawan, secretary of government supervision, was also appointed as acting State Secretary replacing Ali Rahman.

Suspicion

Abdurrahman did not explain his suspension of Wiranto during his address at the swearing ceremony, saying only that it was to insure the supremacy of the law, that investigations were not impeded by Wiranto's ministerial capacity.

"This is merely to ensure a fair investigation," the president remarked.

"So if he is eventually found not guilty then there will be no doubt. I have had to make this decision because KPP Ham (the government inquiry on East Timor) and the UN inquiry are not pursuing normal means and thus there is always the suspicion that both sides are siding one way or the other on Pak Wiranto," the president said.

A government-sanctioned inquiry recently submitted a report to the Attorney General's office recommending that Wiranto and other senior officers and officials be investigated for responsibility for the alleged East Timor violence.

Following the report, the president, who at the time was on a 16-day overseas tour, kept insisting that he would suspend Wiranto.

Abdurrahman also repeatedly stressed that he had the highest regard for Wiranto and that the public should not read too much into his suspension.

Later, while attending a gathering held by the National Awakening Party, Abdurrahman claimed his relationship with Wiranto was "normal and fine".

During a media briefing at Bina Graha Presidential Office, Wiranto refused to rebuke the president for his sudden change of mind and kept on stressing that it was the president's prerogative to do so.

"It's his right. There's no need to extend it much further," Wiranto remarked.

Instead he stressed the inquiry reported allegations against him for responsibility for the violence but not for involvement.

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said his office would not be influenced by Wiranto's suspension from his cabinet post.

"Actually its really not a problem," he said.

However, he refused to reply when asked, if that was the case, then the president's decision to suspend Wiranto on grounds of ensuring a fair investigation was irrelevant.

No one has been able to explain the true reason why Abdurrahman suddenly reversed his decision.

Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab conceded that there were "inputs" to the President during Sunday afternoon and later in the evening which eventually prompted a change in Wiranto's fortunes.

Alwi revealed that these came both "from inside and outside of the country" however he claimed that he did not know who they were.

The official decree, No. 29/M/2000, signed on Monday by the President states that considerations for the decision included "for the sake of the stability in the running of the government and to assist Gen. Wiranto in resolving his problems outside his official capacity".

It states that Wiranto shall be "non-active" until the end of the Attorney General's investigation into the matter.

The defense team representing Wiranto and other senior officers against the allegations of violence, said it could accept the decision but questioned whether it was the best possible compromise for all concerned.

"We see this as a presidential prerogative. But we have to take a good look whether it was the best solution available," the defense team's secretary, Yan Juanda Saputra said.

"If it is to facilitate the investigation by the Attorney General's Office, I think it would not have been much of a bother if Wiranto stayed in his post," he said.

On Ali Rahman's replacement, Abddurahman said Ali had himself requested to resign in accordance with the original design that the State Secretary office is not a ministerial level post.

Bondan is due to fill the post for at most six months, until an appropriate replacement is found for the job.

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman earlier confirmed that Ali had been investigated, but he would not reveal the objective. Other sources, however, reveal that it was over allegations of possible corruption. (04)