Golkar announces support for Megawati in runoff<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Golkar Party made official on Sunday its support for
\npresidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running
\nmate Hasyim Muzadi in the Sept. 20 runoff.<\/p>\n
Golkar leaders ordered their regional chapters across the
\ncountry to tell party supporters to abide by the decision, but
\nanalysts doubt the effectiveness of such efforts.<\/p>\n
\"We believe the pair of Megawati and Hasyim has been
\nresponsive to our coalition offer,\" Golkar deputy chairman Slamet
\nEffendy Yusuf said at the conclusion of a six-hour executive
\nmeeting of the party.<\/p>\n
He said all Golkar members were obliged to honor the decision,
\nand ordered regional chapters to inform party supporters of the
\norder.<\/p>\n
Golkar is the second major political party to throw its
\nsupport behind Megawati and her running mate Hasyim Muzadi, the
\nnon-active chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization,
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU). The first was the Muslim-based United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP). Another Muslim-based party, the Reform
\nStar Party (PBR), has also expressed its intention to back
\nMegawati, and the National Awakening Party (PAN) is expected to
\nfollow suit.<\/p>\n
Megawati and Hasyim, who were nominated by the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Christian-based
\nProsperous Peace Party (PDS), will face Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
\nand Jusuf Kalla in the runoff. The two pairs of candidates
\nfinished second and first respectively in the presidential
\nelection on July 5, beating, among others, Golkar presidential
\ncandidate Wiranto and his running mate Solahuddin Wahid.<\/p>\n
Prior to the announcement on Sunday, Golkar leader Akbar
\nTandjung had met several times with Megawati and hinted at his
\npreference for her.<\/p>\n
Slamet said Golkar was seeking a coalition on a party basis
\nthat would enable it to wield power in the legislative bodies.<\/p>\n
Golkar finished first in the April 5 legislative election,
\nwinning 127 seats in the House of Representatives, followed by
\nthe PDI-P (109) and PPP (58). Susilo was nominated as a
\npresidential candidate by the Democratic Party, which managed
\nonly 55 House seats.<\/p>\n
Another Golkar official, Bomer Pasaribu, had said a coalition
\nwith the PDI-P would provide the party with a springboard to win
\nthe presidency in 2009.<\/p>\n
Golkar executive Rambe Kamarulzaman said earlier in the
\nmeeting that the party was divided, with 24 provincial chapters
\nsupporting Megawati, two (Papua and South Sulawesi) backing
\nSusilo and the rest choosing to remain neutral.<\/p>\n
Golkar executives who had earlier expressed support for Susilo
\nand Kalla, including Fahmi Idris and Priyo Budi Santoso, said
\nthey would comply with the organization's decision.<\/p>\n
Political observers Maswadi Rauf and J. Kristiadi, however,
\ndoubted a coalition between political party elites would compel
\nparty supporters on the ground to follow suit, as was seen in the
\nfirst round of the election.<\/p>\n
\"The direct election opens the opportunity for the downstream
\nto part ways with the elite,\" Maswadi told Antara. He added that
\nparties could no longer control grassroot supporters thanks to
\nchanges in the electoral system.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi said voters in a direct election would take the
\npersonalities of the candidates into account, not an agreement
\nbetween party leaders.<\/p>\n
At least three opinion polls since the July 5 presidential
\nelection have shown Susilo and Kalla enjoying a healthy lead in
\nthe runoff.<\/p>",
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