Hamzah elected new VP<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Hamzah Haz was elected the country's ninth vice
\npresident on Thursday, bringing with him renewed hope for peace
\nwith a call for political parties to come together to support
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri's government.<\/p>\n
Speaking before a plenary session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly, Hamzah said harmonious cooperation between major
\npolitical parties was needed to help the nation emerge from its
\nprolonged crisis.<\/p>\n
"With a national reconciliation, the nation is expected to be
\nable to overcome the multidimensional crisis," he said in his
\naddress.<\/p>\n
Quoting a statement from Megawati's inaugural address on
\nMonday, Hamzah said discipline, a favorable political climate and
\ncooperation among all components of society were prerequisites to
\ndefusing the political and economic turmoil that has plagued the
\ncountry for the past three years.<\/p>\n
He also pledged to help the President develop an effective
\ngovernment and carry out development programs, especially in the
\nareas of the economy and law enforcement.<\/p>\n
"I will help the President run the government, implement the
\nState Policy Guidelines and create a favorable situation for (the
\nguidelines) to materialize, and bolster cooperation with all
\nministers under Megawati's leadership," he said.<\/p>\n
Hamzah was among those who, during the 1999 presidential
\nelection, opposed a female president leading the predominantly
\nMuslim country. But with the full support of Megawati's
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), he
\ngarnered a simple majority of votes in the third round of the
\nvice presidential ballot.<\/p>\n
Hamzah received 340 of 610 votes to beat Akbar Tandjung of the
\nGolkar Party, who received 237 votes. There were 29 abstentions
\nand four invalid ballots.<\/p>\n
Hamzah's win was attributed to votes from the PDI Perjuangan
\nfaction, the Reform faction, interest group representatives and
\nthe Indonesian Military\/National Police faction in the final
\nballot on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Akbar picked up some support from those who had backed the
\nthree candidates -- Agum Gumelar, Siswono Yudhohusodo and Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono -- who lost in the two previous rounds of the
\nballot on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Alimarwan Hanan, the secretary-general of PPP, said the Axis
\nForce, a grouping of Muslim parties, and a section of the
\ninterest group representatives and the Indonesian
\nMilitary\/National Police faction cast their votes for Hamzah.<\/p>\n
Sophan Sophiaan, the chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction,
\nsaid his party had consistently supported Hamzah.<\/p>\n
"It's a wise policy to help reduce the public's resistance to
\nMegawati's government to a minimum," he said.<\/p>\n
Hamzah was born in 1940 in West Kalimantan. He is married to
\ntwo wives and has 12 children. He embarked on a political career
\nwhen he was elected as a legislator representing the Nadhlatul
\nUlama, the country's largest Muslim organization. He won the PPP
\ntop job in 1998 before being appointed the state minister of
\ninvestment under former president B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Hamzah rejoined the Cabinet as the coordinating minister for
\nsocial affairs and poverty eradication under president
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, albeit only for several months.<\/p>\n
Following his swearing-in on Thursday, Hamzah, along with the
\nPresident, held a reception at the vice presidential office.
\nAttending the event were several outgoing ministers and top
\nmilitary officers.<\/p>\n
Akbar said he accepted his defeat in the vice presidential
\nelection, which he regarded as very democratic. He also pledged
\nto support Megawati and Hamzah.<\/p>\n
"We all witnessed the ballot proceed fairly and transparently,
\nand the Assembly held it in the spirit of a family. For Golkar,
\nthis is the best decision the Assembly has made during the
\nSpecial Session," he said after the closing ceremony of the
\nSpecial Session.<\/p>\n
He admitted he was disappointed that PDI Perjuangan did not
\nconsider him the right person for the vice presidency.<\/p>\n
Akbar said his party was prepared to cooperate with the
\ngovernment to help overcome all of the major problems facing the
\nnation, and to carry out the national development program to
\nimprove the public's welfare.<\/p>\n
He called on Megawati to avoid the errors committed by
\nAbdurrahman if she wished to keep her government safe until her
\nterm ends in 2004.<\/p>\n
Agum, the outgoing coordinating minister for political, social
\nand security affairs, hailed the Vice President's call for a
\nnational reconciliation.<\/p>\n
"First of all, all sides must accept all political decisions
\nmade during the Special Session, and the political elite should
\nwork hand in hand to support the new government. More political
\nmaneuvering to disturb or topple the government will only cause
\nthe public to suffer," he said. (rms\/dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hamzah-elected-new-vp-1447893297",
"image": ""
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