THEY WANT TO TOPPLE ME, SAYS INDONESIAN PRESIDENT

By Mohd Nasir Yusoff

JAKARTA, Dec 7 (Bernama) -– Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
has once again, made public his fears of the possibility of a political movement
to topple him under the guise of anti-graft rallies and on the back of the Bank
Century scandal.

"I prayed at night with my wife and family," he said Sunday, in a televised
speech during his Democratic Party's summit in Jakarta.

"What are these lies and character assassinations against me? My logic says,
these political movements want to discredit, shake and topple me in the short
term," he said, as reported by popular English daily, The Jakarta Post, Monday.

Susilo was referring to allegations from several non-governmental
organisations
(NGOs), particularly the Bastion of People's Democracy (Bendera), that several
people in Susilo's inner circle, including his son Edhie 'Ibas' Baskoro,
received money from the Bank Century bailout.

The bailout cost Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million).

Susilo used his speech Sunday, to once again deny any wrongdoing by himself,
any of his close associates or the Democratic Party, in relation to the bailout.

He added, he had been briefed about a rally planned for Dec 9 to mark
International Anti-Corruption Day, but was really based on a "hidden political
scenario" unrelated to the anti-graft movement.

"Thank God, though, I've received fairly complete information about who's
behind it and the target of the Dec 9 movement," Susilo said, hitting out at
individuals and groups who had recently joined in the anti-graft fray, saying
they were merely hopping on the bandwagon.

In an immediate response to Susilo's speech, Prabowo Subianto, founder of
the
opposition Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), dismissed his allegations,
saying his party only sought to reveal the truth behind the Bank
Century scandal.

This is the second case in which Susilo has openly warned of a plot against
him.

On July 17, following the bombings earlier in the day of the JW Marriott and
Ritz-Carlton hotels, he claimed to be a terrorist target and said the elections
commission would be attacked to thwart his chances at the polls.

At that time, too, Prabowo was quick to deny any such threat.

The daily reported that with Susilo's predictions falling flat, there were
debates whether he had gone public to prevent such attacks or he had received
poor intelligence.

Islamic movement Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said the president's
warning this time around, might be true, adding cryptically: "Those who are part
of the anti-corruption movement, please step forward. Those who are not, do
not stand in the way."

Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Erry Riyana
said Susilo's concern that the anti-graft movement could be exploited for
ulterior motives at the expense of public interest and order was understandable.

"The most important thing is that the president does not forbid the Dec 9
demonstration," he said.

Some observers, however, accuse Susilo of falling prey to his paranoia, and
said he should stop playing his old card of being the victim to gain public
support.

"I truly regret his statement about there being a hidden agenda behind the
Dec 9 movement," said Fadjroel Rachman from the Coalition of Anticorruption
Civil Societies (Kompak).

"The rally is meant as a celebration of the anti-corruption spirit. If the
president is innocent, why should he be worried about it," he said, as quoted by
the daily.

Several other major national dailies also frontpaged similar reports Monday.

-- BERNAMA