Islamic alliance 'could lead to anti-Megawati plot'<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A recent series of gatherings involving Muslim politicians could
\nlead to the establishment of an Islamic alliance against
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri should she insist upon deterring
\nthe amendment process for the 1945 Constitution, analysts said.<\/p>\n
\"If Megawati makes a blunder by continuing to refuse the
\nconstitutional amendments, the grouping could be turned into an
\nanti-Megawati alliance immediately,\" Arbi Sanit, an academic from
\nUniversity of Indonesia, said on Friday.<\/p>\n
He warned that Muslim politicians along with their nationalist
\ncolleagues from the Golkar Party might even plot to oust Megawati
\nfrom power if she failed to consistently support the much-
\ndemanded changes to the Constitution ahead of the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
Senior Muslim figures from major political parties and
\nnumerous Muslim organizations have held four separate meetings
\nsince last month to set up a new Islamic alliance aimed at
\ncountering the nationalist-oriented Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which Megawati currently chairs.<\/p>\n
The latest of which took place on Thursday evening, when they
\ngathered at the residence of deputy speaker of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) Cholil Bisri in Slipi.<\/p>\n
Meeting attendees included former president Abdurrahman \"Gus
\nDur\" Wahid, chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Alwi
\nShihab, Justice Party (PK) President Hidayat Nurwahid, legislator
\nfrom the National Mandate Party (PAN) Fuad Bawazier and a number
\nof Golkar leaders such as Fahmi Idris and Theo Sambuaga.<\/p>\n
A well-placed source told The Jakarta Post Thursday evening
\nthat the meeting had originally planned to discuss whether or not
\nto keep Megawati until her current tenure ends in 2004, but
\ndropped that part of the agenda after PAN Chairman Amien Rais,
\nwho is also MPR speaker, did not show up for unknown reasons.<\/p>\n
PAN is one of the Muslim-based political parties that formed
\nthe Central Axis Group which successfully blocked Megawati's bid
\nin the 1999 presidential election.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan legislators and leaders were conspicuously
\nabsent from the meetings.<\/p>\n
Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas is reportedly trying to
\napproach Muslim politicians to challenge the new alliance. He set
\nup a private meeting with Gus Dur on June 4.<\/p>\n
However, Arbi claimed Taufik's maneuvers would be futile as it
\nwas very difficult for Gus Dur to trust Taufik and Megawati.<\/p>\n
Megawati also held a meeting at her residence on Thursday
\nevening with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief
\nGen. Endriartono Sutarto and the chiefs of staff of the Army,
\nNavy and Air Force.<\/p>\n
No information was available about the meeting, but a source
\nclose to the President said that the meeting was prompted by the
\nMuslim politicians' gathering at Cholil's house.<\/p>\n
According to Arbi, Muslim politicians plus Golkar legislators
\nfrom Islamic groupings could declare Megawati and her party a
\n\"big enemy or threat\" to the nation's reform process if she
\nrejected a direct presidential election.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists during last week's European visit,
\nMegawati questioned whether the people were already prepared to
\nhold a presidential election.<\/p>\n
Syamsuddin Haris from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
\n(LIPI) said on Friday the recent meetings of Muslim politicians
\nwere aimed at consolidating their vision and mission in
\npreparation for the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
\"Their focus is not Megawati. Their political agenda and
\ntarget are not clear yet,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, Syamsuddin said that with the meetings the group
\nwanted to show its \"strength\" to put pressure on Megawati and PDI
\nPerjuangan to implement the reform agenda.<\/p>\n
Another political observer Fachry Ali said Muslim politicians
\nwere making a \"trial-and-error\" movement through the series of
\nmeetings to explore a possible alliance ahead of the next
\nelections.<\/p>\n
\"What the political maneuvers actually will be, is still
\nunpredictable,\" he said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Fachry said the political meetings would give a full
\nrecognition of Gus Dur's camp of the National Awakening Party
\n(PKB) that has been split into two factions. The other camp is
\nled by current Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil.<\/p>\n
\"It also benefits Gus Dur himself as he once again gets some
\nof the limelight after his downfall last year,\" he added.<\/p>",
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