UI students call for MPR special session

UI students call for MPR special session

JAKARTA (JP): A group of University of Indonesia postgraduate
students called on the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to
convene a special meeting to revoke its recent decree which
grants President Soeharto extra powers.

"We want the MPR to immediately take the initiative and hold
an extraordinary session of the Assembly in response to widely
supported calls for reforms," the group said in a declaration
read out by Moeroe Supranoto.

Calling themselves the Forum Wacana UI (University of
Indonesia Discourse Forum), the group held a discussion on the
present economic, social and political situation before issuing
the declaration.

The MPR must not only call an extraordinary session but also
revoke its March 1998 decree which granted the President power to
take preemptive measures to ensure that development programs
continue, the students said.

Observers expressed fear over the possibility of abuse of
these extra powers, something which legislators and politicians
from the ruling Golkar faction denied was possible. They based
their argument on the fact that such extra powers had been held
by the President in the past but were never put to use.

"The session must also revoke decrees which restrict the
legislators' freedom to voice and channel the people's
aspirations," it added.

The group also called on the government to immediately bring
the soaring prices of basic commodities under control.

"We want the government to bring prices down to the levels
they were at before the crisis broke last July," it said.

The Forum Wacana, which was established yesterday, said they
completely supported undergraduate calls for sweeping reform.

They also called on the Armed Forces (ABRI) to prove that it
was neutral and that its loyalties lay with the people.

"ABRI leaders have repeatedly said that what's best for the
people would also be best for ABRI," they pointed out.
"Therefore, ABRI members should join hands with other elements in
society and help turn the calls for reform into a reality."

Present at the discussion were Deputy House Speaker from the
Golkar faction Abdul Gafur, and Abu Hasan Sazili, Slamet Effendy
Yusuf and Syamsul Mu'arif, who are all Golkar legislators.

Also in attendance were former Armed Forces chief of
sociopolitical affairs Lt. Gen. (ret) Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo,
former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, soothsayer Permadi Satrio
Wiwoho and human rights activist Eggi Sudjana.

Abdul Gafur said there was no strong grounds on which to
justify convening a special session of the MPR.

"The situation is not as bad as the students described," he
told the media after the discussion.

"Besides, the government is already putting its best efforts
into bringing the country out of the crisis," he added.

He dismissed allegations that the government had violated the
principles of the Pancasila state ideology and the 1945
Constitution.

Constitutionally, an extraordinary session of the Assembly
could be held at the request of the President or the House of
Representatives (DPR).

The House might have grounds to request a session if it
considered the President had violated Pancasila and the 1945
Constitution. The President could convene the Assembly if he
thought the House was restricting his policies unfairly. (imn)