Wahid on collision course with House

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, FEB. 3. A major confrontation between the Indonesian President, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, and the House of Representatives (DPR) is currently underway with the House scheduled to present Mr. Wahid with a memorandum of censure next week.

The decision of the Vice-President, Ms. Megawati Sukarnoputri, to back the findings of a Parliamentary probe into Mr. Wahid's alleged corruption scandals, has pushed the President to the wall. By her ``no-confidence'' vote, Ms. Megawati has placed a question mark on Mr. Wahid being able to complete his term as President in 2004. If the President resigns under the Indonesian Constitution, then Ms. Megawati will step into his shoes as Vice- President. Mr. Wahid, however, is a fighter and has declared that there is no question of his resigning as being demanded by several quarters.

In recent remarks to the press, the President has promised to accelerate the ``reform'' agenda, which clearly has been on the backburner. Whether he is able to do so will be clear in the next few weeks. So far, the President and his team of Ministers have been unable to prosecute the former dictator, Gen. Suharto, and his family. Instead, the focus is now on Mr. Wahid and his ``corruption'' - something which the former First Family must be enjoying. While it is unclear whether Ms. Megawati's party will back an impeachment move against Mr. Wahid, it is clear that the route to the Presidency does lie (like in the Philippines) in the resignation of the President.

Until a few days ago, Mr. Wahid was loudly proclaiming the support of Ms. Megawati - just before her party legislators launched a sharp attack on Mr. Wahid in the DPR session considering the Parliamentary committee's report. Interestingly, the TNI (as the Indonesian military is known) faction in the DPR also backed the corruption findings against the President - indicating their displeasure with the President.

Mr. Wahid has denied that he is planning to appoint a new chief of the TNI and army: a move which will lock him into another confrontation with the DPR. The President is supposed to consult with the DPR before making senior appointments. While nearly all Parliamentary factions are ranged against Mr. Wahid, support has come for him from an unlikely quarter - the Australian Foreign Minister, Mr. Alexander Downer. ``I don't think it's inevitable that there will be impeachment proceedings against President Wahid which would lead to his overthrow,'' he has been quoted as saying.

Despite mounting calls for the President's resignation, Mr. Downer said there was a ``good measure'' of support for the President. Australia, it may be recalled, has been bitterly attacked in Indonesia for its role in East Timor.

However, of late, Mr. Wahid has tried to mend fences with the Australians and has even planned a visit to that country. He reiterated Australia's support for Indonesia's territorial integrity. ``If the international community were to give more support to the secessionist movements...the international community would be responsible for a very serious deterioration in the security situation ... for an awful lot of people would get killed,'' Mr. Downer was quoted as saying.

A close watch is being kept on the latest developments in the region by neighbouring countries. The next few days and weeks could be crucial for both Indonesia and Mr. Wahid himself.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Bush begins sweeping defence review
Next     : E.U. doubts efficacy of U.S. interest rate cut