"We adopt a presidential system so that there is no way for the people to unseat the president. This should be explained to the people," the minister said.
Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri said the rumor about an attempt to launch a coup d`etat against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was only a lie.

"We adopt a presidential system so that there is no way for the people to unseat the president. This should be explained to the people," the minister said on the sidelines of a coordination meeting here on Tuesday.

He said that any activities aimed at undermining the administration, let alone if they were aimed at destabilizing the state, must be given sanctions based on the law in force.

"There is no prohibition for the people to raise aspirations or express criticisms as long as the criticisms are constructive. They can be accepted. But it does not mean that all means can be justified to achieve a goal," the minister said.

It was earlier rumored that the Indonesian People`s Sovereignty Council (MKRI) had planned to organize rallies on March 25, to unseat the president.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro weighed in over the coup rumor on Friday saying that it would never happen.

"Who would do it?. The one who owns a gun is TNI (the military). And, TNI would never do it," he said after seeing off an aerobatic team Jupiter to Malaysia at Halim Perdanakusuma airport.

His statement followed a report about a big demonstration on March 25 to protest against the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Purnomo said no coup would happen against the government of President Yudhoyono. "It would not go that far. If indeed efforts are made to topple the government we will crush them. We must not play around with our Unitary State of Indonesia integrity," he said.

Army`s chief of staff General Pramono Edhie Wibowo expressed concern over the spread of rumors about coup recently saying that it is impossible for it to happen.

"I can guarantee it will not happen. Indeed it is usually associated with the military but I can assure you that the army will never do it," he said at the army headquarters here on Thursday.

He said he had told his juniors that a coup was a bad way of taking over a government and so a change of government must be done in a democratic way.

"I have asked my juniors to stay away from it. That is not good. Change must be done smoothly," he said.

General Pramono also called on civilian groups not to blow up the rumor. "Those who hold no guns please do not develop the rumor. Do not leave our children and grandchildren bad stories," he said.

The Indonesian People`s Sovereignty Council (MKRI) on Monday cancelled the rally it had allegedly planned to hold in Jakarta to demand President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono resignation.

It changed its planned rally into a social service action in front of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI).

However, its action in the Diponegoro Street was still under a close guard by the police.

Spokesperson of MKRI R Nasution said the rally on Monday was actually not planned to topple President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono but to send a warning for the government.

Instead of holding rallies in protest against the government, the activists doled up food parcels to around 3,000 poor residents in Jakarta.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013