Youths protest Habibie tenure

JAKARTA (JP): A group of youths protested on Monday outside the People's Consultative Assembly/House of Representatives (MPR/DPR), demanding that President B.J. Habibie step down prior to the MPR's General Session scheduled for November.

Raising the recent bloody events in Aceh, the group said developments in Indonesia's northern province proved Habibie's inability to cope with crucial issues. As a consequence, they said, the President must step down.

The Youth Nationalist Union (Perpenas) members, who claimed their organization was an independent one, also called on the Indonesian political elite to refrain from issuing statements that could disrupt national unity.

Head of Perpenas Zulhamsyah told The Jakarta Post a bigger demonstration would take place if the union's demands were not fulfilled within a week.

Zulhamsyah said that in the reformation period legislators should exercise their independence to reject Habibie if they believed he was not capable of carrying out his presidential duties.

At the first protest in over two months targeting legislators, approximately 40 Perpenas members tried to enter the MPR building at 11 a.m.. They were prevented by security troops.

After brief negotiations, security officials allowed Zulhamsyah and three other representatives to enter the building.

It is not known whether the Perpenas members were able to meet with legislators.

One of the demands made in a Perpenas statement distributed to the media was that the MPR hold its General Assembly as scheduled.(04)