Megawati not to attend meet

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, JULY 8. The Indonesian President, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid's efforts at securing a last-minute compromise suffered a blow when it was announced that the Vice-President, Ms. Megawati Sukarnoputri, would not attend a reconciliation meeting tomorrow.

``Ms. Megawati will not attend the meeting because she has a full schedule as Vice-President,'' the deputy secretary- general of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Independence (PDI- P) was quoted as saying today.

``The meeting doesn't have a clear agenda so its purpose is questionable. Moreover, we have not yet received a formal invitation from the President,'' Ms. Agnita Singdaikane Irsal said.

An earlier ``compromise'' meeting scheduled by the President was postponed to give enough time to Ms. Megawati to attend the meeting.

However, with her party official setting out the agenda on the compromise efforts, it is clear that Ms. Megawati is looking solely at the August 1 session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to deal with the President.

There remains every likelihood that the MPR will impeach the President. For his part, Mr. Wahid has stated publicly on several occasions that he will not go before the MPR if the objective of the special session is to hold him accountable for his performance.

On the other hand, Ms. Megawati's party has stated that it is not interested in bringing forward the August 1 special session following threats issued by Mr. Wahid that he would impose a state of emergency and dissolve the Parliament.

While the President has repeatedly threatened to impose emergency, it is not clear whether he has the support in the military to implement his decision.

The recent drama around the ``sacking'' of the police chief, Gen. Suroyo Bimantoro, is reflective of the parlous state of the President's hold on the country's reins.

The General first refused to be dismissed on the grounds that only Parliament could sack him and then declined Mr. Wahid's offer to become the country's ambassador to Malaysia. Several senior police officers have reposed faith in Gen. Bimantoro's leadership - stating that they did not accept a new deputy appointed by the President - as their new boss.

And, now, with the PDI-P looking ahead to the MPR special session, Mr. Wahid may have few options left.

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Section  : International
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