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Defiant Indonesian president plans to sue lawmakers

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February 4, 2001 

JAKARTA, FEB 3 (AP) - Indonesia's embattled president Abdurrahman Wahid is preparing legal action against lawmakers who recently censured him over his alleged role in two graft scandals, a news report said Saturday.

The report in the Media Indonesia newspaper raises the temperature in a mudslinging match between the president and the legislature, which has also threatened to hand over evidence of Wahid's alleged criminal actions to state prosecutors.

"In the near future we will file criminal charges against members and leaders of the parliament," said Indra Sahnun Lubis, the head of Wahid's legal team, as quoted by the daily.

Lubis did not provide details on the possible charges. Such a move would undermine the legality of parliament's action against Wahid, which Lubis described as "slanderous."

None of the president's official spokesmen were available for comment.

On Thursday, an overwhelming majority of legislators endorsed the report of a parliamentary inquiry that found Wahid had misled investigators about his involvement in the two graft cases.

The document claimed Wahid knew about the illegal transfer of dlrs 4 million from the coffers of the state food agency, Bulog, by a former business associate. It also slammed him for failing to declare a dlrs 2 million aid donation from Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah, the ruler of neighboring oil-rich Brunei.

However, the report contained no conclusive evidence that Wahid had benefitted from either scheme.

Wahid has consistently denied any wrongdoing and said the money was spent on relief aid to Aceh province, where a struggle for independence has claimed thousands of lives.

If Wahid does not respond satisfactorily to the parliament's reprimand within 90 days, the legislature can censure him again. A month after that it can open impeachment proceedings.

Analysts fear that Wahid will ignore the house, which he once likened to a kindergarten, triggering a constitutional crisis.

"There will be a deadlock between the legal and political aspects of this case," said Dede Oetomo.

The government appeared to be solidly behind the president.

Before an emergency Cabinet meeting Saturday, justice minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra denied speculation he was planning to resign.

"Resigning means giving in," he told journalists. "If I am in (the Cabinet) it means I can put forward my opinions."

With the vast majority of lawmakers against him, Wahid's political survival hinges largely on the continuing support of his deputy, Megawati Sukarnoputri.

She has yet to comment, but her party - the largest in parliament - led the charge against him along with the Golkar Party of former dictator Suharto.

Ironically, both Golkar and Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle have been accused of involvement in corruption.

As the ruling party during Suharto's 32-year dictatorship, Golkar was the main pillar of a regime regarded as one of the most corrupt in the world. And Megawati - whose own husband has been accused of improper business practices - recently was forced to fire 13 party officials because of shady financial dealings.