Wahid to campaign to be president again if impeached

0 Comments | Asian Political News, May 21, 2001

JAKARTA, May 15 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH DETAILS, FURTHER COMMENTS)

Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid said Tuesday that if impeached he will campaign to be president again during the next presidential election, expected in 2004.

''Just go ahead,'' Wahid said regarding parliamentarians' plans to hold a special session of the 700-member People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the country's highest constitutional body, that could lead to his impeachment over alleged involvement in two financial scandals. ''I'm not afraid of that.''

The president made the remarks in an address to members of the National Resilience Council, a government think tank dealing with defense affairs, at the presidential office.

If impeached, he said, ''I will keep campaigning on every occasion for the presidency in the next direct presidential election. At first, I had no intention to campaign, but because I have been embarrassed before many people, I will campaign.''

According to Wahid, the 500-member House of Representatives (DPR), with which his relationship has been getting worse since its members began suggesting he be impeached over the scandals, has made some ''very major violations'' of the country's 1945 Constitution.

He said the DPR ''is not only examining and monitoring (the executive), but also passing judgment, which is inappropriate.''

The nearly-blind president reiterated that he will not resign, because ''if I resign, there will be what we call declarations of independence from five provinces.''

On Monday, Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri said the MPR special session ''cannot be stopped'' as ''it is something that flows in line with the Constitution of our nation.'' Wahid refused to comment on her statement.

Asked about a rift between Wahid and Megawati, Defense Minister Mohammad Mahfud Mahmoddin admitted the possibility, saying, ''I think physically we see something like that. But spiritually only Mega (Megawati) and Gus Dur (Wahid) know.''

Earlier in the day, house speaker Akbar Tanjung, who is also chairman of the former ruling Golkar Party, said there is no way to bridge the ''deep differences'' between the president and the house except by referring the problem to the MPR as the highest state institution.

''Only the MPR can issue a final decision on whether the president is violating state guidelines or not,'' he said.

Last week, Wahid refused to cede any more power to Megawati, saying he had already given her authority in all but two areas -- the basic outline of government policies and the appointment of cabinet members and top officials.

Many have suggested that an MPR decree issued last year gave Megawati little real power, as her specified duties did not include policy-making, and she was charged only with overseeing the daily technical workings of the government.

Seven top cabinet ministers, known as the ''Team of Seven,'' are also expected to propose a series of solutions to Wahid this week in an attempt to resolve the political chaos surrounding his leadership.

Among the alternatives to be offered are a cabinet reshuffle, a new power-sharing scheme with Megawati, and moving the next general election forward from 2004.

The whirlwind of activity comes at a time when Wahid's options have been further limited by the DPR's issuance on April 30 of a second censure over his involvement in the scandals.

The second censure, combined with his inability to lift the country out of its economic and political crisis, have brought him one step closer to possible impeachment proceedings in the MPR.

Many political analysts believe the only way Wahid can prevent further turmoil is by immediately resigning, or by transferring significantly more political authority to Megawati, who is also chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI-Perjuangan).

PDI-Perjuangan has 153 seats in the house and Golkar Party 120 seats, while Wahid's party only has 51 seats.