Gus Dur meets Habibie again<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Abdurrahman Wahid
\nmet for the second time in a month with President B.J. Habibie,
\nas he continued shuttling between top political leaders in an
\neffort to prevent a deadlock in the upcoming presidential
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, said he told the President
\nhe wanted \"to calm\" the situation before the presidential
\nelection, although he refused to elaborate on the details of his
\nmeetings.<\/p>\n
\"It is my company secret,\" Abdurrahman said after a breakfast
\nmeeting with Habibie at the latter's private residence in South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur, the founder of the National Awakening Party (PKB),
\nsaid he would next meet with Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and
\nGolkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung to harmonize their visions
\non November's presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"What I am doing is... anticipating a possible deadlock,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A number of people are predicting a deadlock in the
\npresidential election because no political party is likely to
\nemerge from the general election with the required number of
\nseats in the House of Representatives to determine the
\npresidency. PDI Perjuangan is leading in provisional poll
\nresults, followed by Golkar.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Gadjah Mada University political lecturer
\nIchlasul Amal reiterated his conviction that a deadlock could be
\navoided if leading political parties reached a consensus on the
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
Ichlasul has proposed a stage-by-stage presidential election
\nin which several candidates would be screened and voted for by
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly. Legislators in a discussion
\non Wednesday expressed support for the idea.<\/p>\n
In his meeting with Habibie on June 18, Abdurrahman proposed a
\nseparation of power between the head of government and the head
\nof state. His suggestion that the Assembly Speaker carry out
\nstate duties was slammed as unconstitutional by experts.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice\/State Secretary Muladi, who was also
\npresent at the Wednesday meeting, said the President appreciated
\nAbdurrahman's efforts.<\/p>\n
\"If (the initiative) came from the government it would be seen
\nas an attempt at engineering. But the bottom-up process we are
\nseeing from Gus Dur is very good,\" the minister said.<\/p>\n
He said Abdurrahman also told Habibie about his plans to go to
\nthe United States for medical treatment and his daughter's
\nupcoming marriage.<\/p>\n
Separately, the chairman of the Muhammadiyah Muslim
\norganization, Ahmad Syafii Maarif, disclosed on Sunday a recent
\nmeeting with Abdurrahman, during which the latter expressed his
\nambition to become president and revealed the lineup of his
\ntentative Cabinet.<\/p>\n
Megawati could become Speaker of the House of Representatives,
\nAhmad quoted Abdurrahman as saying.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, West Java, Golkar executive Ekky Syahruddin said
\nHabibie should be elected prime minister while Megawati could
\nserve as president.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a political observer from Padjadjaran University in
\nBandung, Bagir Manan, said PDI Perjuangan should actively lobby
\nother parties in an effort to smooth Megawati's road to the
\npresidency, adding that the party should not rule out a possible
\ncoalition with Golkar.(prb\/swa\/43)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-meets-habibie-again-1447893297",
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