Golkar mulls partnering PKB in presidential election<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Confident of winning the April 5 legislative elections, Golkar is
\nnow looking for suitable political parties with which to forge a
\ncoalition for the upcoming presidential election.<\/p>\n
Some party leaders say the party will approach the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB) and Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama
\n(NU) to find a suitable running mate for Golkar's presidential
\ncandidate, who will be chosen by the party's April 20 convention.<\/p>\n
Golkar deputy chairman Mahadi Sinambela said on Thursday that
\nhis party would approach parties that were unlikely to nominate a
\ncandidate in the July 5 direct presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"We will forge a coalition with political parties that are not
\nnominating their own presidential candidates,\" Mahadi said.<\/p>\n
However, the PKB, which was founded by the country's largest
\nMuslim organization, the NU, has publicly announced that it will
\nnominate former president Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid in the July
\n5 presidential election.<\/p>\n
Golkar, the political machine of former autocrat Soeharto, is
\nleading the provisional tally of votes in the April 5 legislative
\nelections, garnering 20.92 percent of the 18,488,364 votes
\ncounted thus far. Trailing behind is the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI-P) with 19.73 percent, and the PKB with
\n12.09 percent.<\/p>\n
Slamet Effendi Jusuf said on Thursday that his party had
\nsecured at least 93 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR)
\nand expected 39 others based on the party's own calculations.<\/p>\n
\"The number of seats may increase because the vote count is
\nnot yet over,\" said Slamet, the party's campaign chief.<\/p>\n
Mahadi said Vice President Hamzah Haz's United Development
\nParty (PPP), which is currently fourth in the provisional tally,
\ncould join the coalition although it would not be able to
\ncontribute significant support.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, deputy secretary general Bomer Pasaribu said that
\nany coalition should be built with a view to creating a strong
\nand effective government.<\/p>\n
Dividing political parties into three groups -- the leftist-
\nnationalist parties, the moderate-pluralistic parties, and the
\nreligious parties -- Bomer said that Golkar would benefit from
\nits status as a moderate and pluralistic party.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar will play a pivotal role in any political coalition.
\nAny coalition must comprise three or four parties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Bomer, a coalition between Golkar and the newly
\nestablished Democratic Party would create a strong and effective
\ngovernment given the fact that the duo of Akbar Tandjung and
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono would represent the Java and non-Java
\naspects, as well as the civilian and military aspects.<\/p>\n
Mahadi, however, said that an Akbar-Susilo duo seemed
\nimpossible as the former coordinating minister for political and
\nsecurity affairs would also be running for the presidency.<\/p>\n
He suggested that four figures would run for the country's top
\npost -- current President Megawati Soekarnoputri of the PDI-P,
\nAmien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Susilo of the
\nDemocratic Party, and Akbar.<\/p>\n
Mahadi said that Golkar leaders were optimistic their
\npresidential candidate would win a ticket to the second round of
\nthe presidential election, which is scheduled for Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
\"We are optimistic of going through to the second round. We
\nwill make the necessary political moves,\" he said without going
\ninto details.<\/p>\n
The country will hold its first ever direct presidential
\nelection on July 5, with a probable run-off for the two top
\ncandidates on Sept. 20.<\/p>",
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