Contrite Wahid says violence is Indonesia's big worry

Contrite Wahid says violence is Indonesia's big worry
REUTERS

JAKARTA, AUG 7: A contrite Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid on Monday asked for more time to get his violence-torn and near bankrupt nation back on its feet, pledging to crush separatists and to revamp his discredited cabinet.

But the frail Muslim cleric won only lukewarm applause from an increasingly antagonistic top legislature, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), for his account of a turbulent 10-month rule.

"To all the people of Indonesia, I apologise if in the past 10 months the government has not fully solved all the problems," the near-blind Wahid said in a speech read on his behalf by Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak.

"But please have a faith in us that we will keep trying and working hard and struggle to do even more. I will learn a lot from the shortcomings and weaknesses in the past 10 months so I can make many improvements."

Wahid, Indonesia's first democratically-elected president, has another four years in office, but is already under notice from leading politicians to do a better job or step down.

In a reminder of the instability tearing at Indonesia, the government was forced to close a major refinery in the east of the archipelago after an explosion which one minister blamed on sabotage.

The speech and the 10-day MPR session mark a critical turning point in Indonesia's stormy transition to democracy which is teetering on the thin edge between stability and mayhem.

Wahid did not say when the cabinet would be reshuffled and offered few specifics on how he would meet his promises.

He pledged to maintain a prudent economic policy and stick to a deal with the International Monetary Fund which is leading international efforts to save Indonesia's savaged economy.

Wahid also promised to show no tolerance to separatists but said he would implement special autonomy for the troubled and wealthy provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya.

"(The speech) was okay, but I think it only stated the big things...and didn't go into detail," Amien Rais, speaker of the MPR and leading critic of Wahid, told reporters.

Parliamentary speaker Akbar Tandjung called the speech too general.

"The most important thing is that we give him another chance to do his job as a President...next year we will review him again right?" said Tandjung.

Factions in the MPR give their response to Wahid's speech on Tuesday. He has a final reply on Wednesday.

Indonesia has had three presidents since it was first battered by the 1997 Asian financial crisis from which it is still trying to recover.

The period, the most troubled Indonesia has faced in more than a generation, has also been marked by widespread ethnic and religious fighting and separatist pressures in some of the wealthiest provinces.

The 700-member MPR has the power to sack Wahid, but despite his increasingly criticised rule, is unlikely to do so because there is no credible alternative.

Wahid's party holds under 10 percent of the MPR -- which includes the 500 members of parliament -- and he relies on a shaky alliance of Muslims, reformists and populists.

The biggest party is led by Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Wahid said the two had their differences, but were still a team.

Security forces have thrown a ring around Jakarta, with tens of thousands of police and troops on the streets in a bid to prevent violent protests during the session, which runs until August 18. Police have threatened to shoot rioters on sight.

But the capital was quiet on Monday with no sign of any unrest. There was a small protest of about 20 demonstrating against abuse of power, but there was no violence.

Financial markets were slightly weaker and clearly nervous in the wake of the MPR session.

Wahid said separatist insurgencies in Aceh and Irian Jayaand a bloody war between Christians and Moslems in the spice islands were the gravest problems facing the nation.

The unrest has killed thousands over the past two years.

"Social disharmony involving religion in the Moluccasclearly brings the potential of serious National disintegration and if not halted it could spread to other parts in Indonesia," he said.

Pleading for unity, he said the massive problemsconfronting the mainly Moslem nation were being compounded by political bickering.

Wahid warned that domestic friction would continue scaringoff badly needed foreign investment.

Besides evaluating Wahid's report on his first year, MPRdelegates will debate wide-ranging constitutional amendments that could alter the political landscape in the world's fourth most populous country.

On the agenda will be issues such as a direct presidentialelection and establishment of a Prime ministerial system.