Wiranto guarded on ABRI's political role

Wiranto guarded on ABRI's political role

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto trod
cautiously on Wednesday over mounting demands that the military
end its presence in the House of Representatives (DPR) and
regional legislative councils.

"ABRI will gradually change its sociopolitical role in line
with the people's political maturity," he told reporters on
Wednesday after attending the People's Consultative Assembly's
plenary session which heard the five factions' general
observations on the 12 draft Assembly decrees.

The general praised the other four Assembly factions'
objective observations and accurate analysis into ABRI's past and
its performance, but hoped that they would not use the issue for
political gain.

Wiranto said he disagreed with four top opposition leaders'
suggestion that ABRI be given a six-year deadline to cede its
seats in legislative bodies.

"I do not want to talk about the deadline as the decision to
end ABRI's presence in the House will completely rest on the
people's readiness," he said.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Abdurrahman Wahid, the chairman
of National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais, chairwoman of the
popular faction of the splintered Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri and Yoygakarta Governor Sri Sultan
Hamengkubuwono IX met at Abdurrahman's residence in Ciganjur,
South Jakarta, on Tuesday.

They said ABRI should leave politics and concentrate on its
defense and security tasks.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen.
(ret) Feisal Tanjung, however, took a tougher stance and
dismissed the four opposition leaders' call.

"The discussion on the reduction of ABRI's membership in the
House (should be held) not in Ciganjur, but here at the Special
Session of the People's Consultative Assembly," he told reporters
who approached him for comments. He left immediately afterward.

Military observer Lt. Gen. (ret) Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo
noticed that all five Assembly factions agreed with the gradual
reduction of ABRI's membership in the House.

"A common platform concluded after the session of the five
factions' general observations shows that they agreed to have
zero ABRI representation in the legislative body," Sayidiman,
former Governor of the military think tank, the National
Resilience Institute, said.

Speaking about the "appropriate" number of ABRI legislators
for the spirit of reform movement, he said it should be 25 or
less.

A delegation of 20 students from the private Gunadharma
University filed a petition on Wednesday with the Armed Forces
faction demanding the revocation of the Armed Forces dual role.

"ABRI's involvement in politics will only polarize its
members," Yuri Andrian, a delegation member, told the Armed
Forces legislators.

"ABRI's active involvement in politics will also weaken ABRI's
security and defense role," he said. (imn)