JP\/4\/ELECTION<\/p>\n
Susilo sets up lobby team<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro\/Muniggar Sri Saraswati
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla ticket have set up a
\nspecial team to ensure the pairing's victory in the second round
\nof the presidential election in September.<\/p>\n
\"The team will be led by Susilo himself. It consists of 35
\nmembers drawn from the Democratic Party, the Crescent Star Party
\n(PBB) and the Indonesia Justice and Unity Party (PKPI),\" said a
\nteam member, who requested anonymity.<\/p>\n
The team is expected to lobby several political parties in a
\nbid to win their support for the ticket in the runoff, he said.<\/p>\n
The team is hoping to gain the support of the Golkar Party,
\nthe National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party
\n(PKS) and some other minor parties.<\/p>\n
\"There have been some informal talks with representatives of
\nthese parties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo is currently leading in the provisional tallies for the
\nJuly 5 election, garnering 31.6 million, or 33.47 percent, of the
\n94.4 million votes counted as of 8 p.m. Monday.<\/p>\n
Trailing behind him are Megawati with 26.2 percent of the
\nvote, Gen. (ret) Wiranto on 22.1 percent, Amien Rais on 15
\npercent, and Hamzah Haz on 3 percent.<\/p>\n
Susilo and Megawati have been scrambling for the support of
\nGolkar, PAN, the United Development Party (PPP), and the PKS.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Syamsuddin Harris of the Indonesian Institute of
\nSciences (LIPI) said on Monday that regardless of the legitimacy
\nof the president elected in the Sept. 20 runoff election, he or
\nshe would be powerless before the House of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
He said that the newly amended Constitution gave too much
\npower to the legislative branch at the expense of the executive
\nbranch.<\/p>\n
\"I agree that the direct presidential election provides strong
\nlegitimacy -- from the people -- for the elected president. But
\nsuch legitimacy will not be evident in the relationship between
\nthe executive and the legislature, even if the executive appoints
\na Cabinet that accommodates the major parties,\" Syamsuddin told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Under the newly amended constitution, the appointment of
\nambassadors, the chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI), chief of
\nthe National Police and the establishment of ministerial offices
\nall require the approval of the House.<\/p>\n
He said the direct presidential election did not guarantee
\nthat the president would be able to carry out his or her policies
\neffectively.<\/p>\n
Instead, the system would only force the executive to enter
\ninto more political compromises with the legislature as the
\nlatter was invested with vast powers by the amended 1945
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
In the July 5 presidential election, Susilo has gained an
\nunassailable lead over Megawati with more than 70 percent of the
\nvotes already counted.<\/p>\n
The election results will likely open the way for a Susilo-
\nMegawati showdown in the runoff election on Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
In the April 5 legislative election, the Golkar Party took the
\nbiggest single share of seats in the House of Representatives,
\nwinning 128 out of the 550 seats. The PDI-P finished behind
\nGolkar with 109 seats, while the United Development Party (PPP)
\nwon 58 seats to finish third.<\/p>\n
Susilo's Democratic Party finished fourth with 57 seats,
\nfollowed by the PKB with 52 seats.<\/p>\n
The disparities between the April 5 and July 5 election
\nresults will force the winning candidate to enter into a
\ncoalition in order to enhance his strength vis-a-vis the
\nlegislature, a political analyst from Airlangga University,
\nDaniel Sparringa, said.<\/p>\n
\"If Megawati wins in the runoff, a coalition between the two
\nlargest parties -- the PDI-P and Golkar -- would give her full
\npower over both the executive and the legislature.<\/p>\n
\"But if Susilo wins in the Sept. 20 election, the legislature
\nwill be encouraged to play the role of a pure checks-and-balances
\nmechanism as regards the executive,\" Daniel told the Post.<\/p>\n
\"Thus, if Susilo wins the Sept. 20 election, he and his
\ncabinet will be in a weak position as regards the legislature as
\nhis party does not have a majority of seats in the House. He will
\nhave to accede to the legislators' decisions, especially in
\nrespect of the state budget,\" Daniel said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp4election-1447899208",
"image": ""
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