'Use constitutional means to change govt'

JAKARTA (JP): Political observers requested all citizens on Monday to avoid instigating mass riots in an attempt to end Abdurrahman Wahid's presidency, and instead accept constitutional and peaceful methods.

Addressing a seminar on national leadership here on Monday, political observers Siswono Yudohusodo and Riswandha Imawan suggested that people should use elegant rather than physical force to change the national leadership.

Siswono, who is the former Minister of Transmigration, said the House of Representatives (DPR) had three constitutional and peaceful mechanisms available in order to replace the President.

"The House can hold the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in observance of the results of the ongoing investigation by the House's Special Committee on the Bulog (State Logistics Agency) scandal and financial assistance from Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah," Siswono said, while referring to two scandals allegedly linked to the President.

The House will conclude the investigation by the end of this month.

Siswono said that the House's right to express an opinion, which is slated for Jan. 23, 2001, was another mechanism to bring Abdurrahman down.

"If the House uses the right three times, then it can hold an MPR special session.

"The MPR's annual session (slated for August 2001) can also be converted into a special session," he said.

"It's up to the nation to use all of the possibilities," he added.

Siswono reminded that anarchic action was the biggest enemy of democracy.

"So, for the sake of democracy and the country's image in the international community, there should not be any revolution or mass mobilization to replace Abdurrahman," he said.

Meanwhile, Riswandha Imawan said that mobilizing people for certain political interests was a setback for democracy and would allow increased opportunity for military power to reemerge in the country's political arena.

"Mobilizing the masses will be very harmful to democracy as it will lead to a violent coup or the return of military forces in the name of securing the chaotic condition," Riswandha, who is a political observer from the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, said.

He said that people should use common sense when expressing their political aspirations, within the framework of constitutional and peaceful mechanisms.

"It is okay for people to hold demonstrations, but remember that this should be their last alternative when expressing their political aspirations," Riswandha said.

He shared Siswono's opinion that the investigation into the Bulog and Brunei scandals can be used as a means to topple the President, as the investigation's results may lead to the issuance of the House's memorandum for holding the Assembly's special session.

"If people want to bring Abdurrahman down, the Bulog and Brunei scandals could lead to the MPR special session.

"So, I think that the development of both financial cases should be carefully observed," he added. (dja)