Akbar meets Gus Dur amid speculation on joining forces<\/p>\n
Suherdjoko and Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta\/Makassar<\/p>\n
A game of political chess is afoot, with the flurry of meetings
\nbetween Indonesia's top politicians continuing as the national
\nelections draw closer.<\/p>\n
On Sunday morning, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung met with the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) patron Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid
\nin the Central Java city of Surakarta. The meeting fueled
\nspeculation both presidential hopefuls might join forces in this
\nyear's elections.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur, however, rejected the notion his breakfast meeting
\nwith Akbar would pave the way for a Golkar-PKB coalition.<\/p>\n
\"It was just a relaxed, informal meeting similar to my meeting
\nwith presidential candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto,\" he said on
\nSunday. Wiranto, former chief of the Armed Forces, is also
\nrunning to Golkar's presidential nominee.<\/p>\n
The meeting was held in the Roemahku Hotel where Akbar stayed
\nand took place after Gus Dur and Akbar attended a mass rally
\ncelebrating the Javanese New Year (Syura) held by the Surakarta
\nHadiningrat Palace on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
The rally was also attended by Wiranto, Central Java Police
\nHead Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi, and a number of foreign
\ndignitaries.<\/p>\n
Akbar said he had invited Gus Dur to attend breakfast with his
\nfamily during the rally.<\/p>\n
\"I invited him (Gus Dur) to join my family breakfast and Gus
\nDur agreed. So I served him with Javanese noodles prepared by my
\nwife. There was no formal talk, let alone political talk,\" said
\nAkbar whose political fortunes surged recently, following the
\nSupreme Court's acquittal of him for corruption charges amounting
\nto Rp 40 billion (US$4.8 million).<\/p>\n
Akbar said he also planned to visit Gus Dur in his Ciganjur
\nhouse in South Jakarta, adding the later had agreed with the
\nplan.<\/p>\n
Prior to the meeting, Akbar said that if a coalition should be
\nforged it would only be decided after the April 5 legislative
\nelections.<\/p>\n
\"We will see (how many) votes we can get first...,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI-P),
\nwhich won the 1999 election might still get most of the votes.<\/p>\n
\"But of course all parties now want to get the majority of the
\nvotes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Akbar said every person who competed at a Golkar convention to
\nstand as the party's presidential candidate ought to be ready to
\nbecome vice president, expressing his interest in the deputy
\nposition.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur said after his meeting with Akbar he had his own
\ncriteria for accepting a vice president's job.<\/p>\n
\"This is a problem for my party not the public,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wiranto, meanwhile, said he would continue with his bid for
\nthe Golkar presidential candidacy.<\/p>\n
In Makassar, another Golkar presidential hopeful opposed
\nAkbar's statement.<\/p>\n
\"Akbar's remark is pathetic and irritating. Akbar has started
\na war in Golkar,\" Surya Paloh said.<\/p>\n
His statement would only discourage Golkar executives and
\nsupporters in their struggle to win the elections, Surya said.<\/p>\n
\"If Golkar convention candidates are only aiming for the vice
\npresident's position, then what is the point of holding a
\nconvention to pick the best presidential candidate?\" he said.<\/p>\n
Such remarks should not be repeated as they would only create
\nconflict in Golkar and waste energy that should be used to win
\nthe elections.<\/p>\n
\"If Akbar just wants to be vice president to Megawati, he
\nshould say so clearly, and not be shy,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/akbar-meets-gus-dur-amid-speculation-on-joining-forces-1447893297",
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