Candra Malik, Solo – A day after police shut down a meeting convened in Solo, Central Java, by Sri Bintang Pamungkas to oppose the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the political dissident continued his protest on Sunday.
Bintang, head of the central leadership board of the Non-Voter Fellowship National Congress, said he was ready to stage a coup if Yudhoyono is inaugurated on Oct. 20.
"If SBY is still inaugurated, we will attempt a coup to prevent him from leading this nation for another five years," he said.
The former head of the Uni Democracy Party, who was jailed during the Suharto era, said the nation no longer trusted Yudhoyono, evidenced by the low voter turnout in the July presidential election.
He said with nonvoters accounting for 51 percent of all registered voters in the election, Yudhoyono only received the support of 27 percent of the nation, ahead of Megawati Sukarnoputri with 12 percent and 10 percent for Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
"Now is the time for nonvoters to prepare to foil Yudhoyono's inauguration on October 20 with a 'people-power movement,'?" Bintang said.
Bintang said Taufik Kiemas's inauguration as chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) solidified Yudhoyono's political regime, which he accused of manipulating the results of the election.
He also criticized Yudhoyono's handling of disasters, saying this was further evidence of his lack of leadership.
"I even heard that [suspended Corruption Eradication Commission chief] Antasari Azhar was arrested not only for murder, but because he wiretapped the first lady's phone. Only time will tell the truth," he said.
Bintang also criticized Yudhoyono for his failure to resolve old human rights abuse cases, including the 2004 murder of human rights activist Munir and the killing of students in 1998 and 1999.
Police, who said the Solo congress did not have the necessary permits, on Saturday moved on the Sarangan Hotel where the conference was taking place with about 100 delegates from around the country.
A police spokesman told the Jakarta Globe the order to shut down the conference came from Insp. Gen. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo, the chief of the Central Java Police.
The officer added that Bintang would not be charged with attempting to foment a coup. "Bintang was expressing his opinion. He and his group are only a minority in Indonesia," Alex said, adding, however, that Bintang would be placed under observation.
Bintang said his movement would be "ready" for Oct. 20. "This country's long history shows that leaders who are not trusted have been foiled by the people, by people-power movements," he said. "Sukarno, Suharto and Gus Dur [Abdurrahman Wahid] could be foiled, why not SBY?"