Mega seeks support for run-off<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Trailing behind her former coordinating minister for political
\nand security affairs in both the July 5 election and opinion
\npolls, Megawati Soekarnoputri is now intensifying political
\nlobbying to win the Sept. 20 runoff election.<\/p>\n
Megawati met with Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP)
\nchairman Hamzah Haz at the latter's private residence in Tegalan,
\nEast Jakarta, on Tuesday, a day after the General Elections
\nCommission (KPU) officially announced that she and running mate
\nHasyim Muzadi would face election front-runners Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla in the second round.<\/p>\n
The incumbent, who arrived at Hamzah's residence at around
\n7:45 p.m., was accompanied by deputy secretary-general of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Pramono Anung,
\nwhile Hamzah was accompanied by party secretary-general Ali
\nMarwan Hanan. Megawati's husband, Taufik Kiemas, arrived at the
\nmeeting late.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Hamzah told us that some provincial leaders are giving
\nsupport to Ibu Mega,\" Pramono said after the meeting, which
\nlasted for more than an hour.<\/p>\n
Ali Marwan Hanan, meanwhile, said leaders of some provincial
\nparty branches had explicitly thrown their support behind
\nMegawati.<\/p>\n
Hamzah is expected to announce his party's stance after its
\ntwo-day leadership meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Also on Tuesday, Megawati met with Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid
\nat his residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. Megawati, who was
\naccompanied by Taufik Kiemas, arrived at Gus Dur's residence at
\naround 9:45 p.m.<\/p>\n
Adhi Massardi, former presidential spokesman, said the two
\nleaders only shared jokes at the meeting, which lasted for more
\nthan an hour.<\/p>\n
\"The two leaders talked about the future of the country ...
\nbut there was no discussion on political support,\" said Adhi,
\nstressing that the meeting was a return visit by Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Taufik and Ibu Mega now feel relieved because (the
\nmeeting) eases long-standing tensions between the two proreform
\nleaders,\" Adhi said.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur was a close confidante of Megawati until 2001 when the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) impeached the former for
\nincompetence and installed Megawati as the country's fifth
\npresident.<\/p>\n
Megawati is also scheduled to meet with other political
\nleaders, including Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung and National
\nMandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais sometime this week.<\/p>\n
The PDI-P chairperson, who is seeking a full five-year term,
\nis in dire need of forging a coalition with other parties to
\nboost her chances in the runoff election.<\/p>\n
Megawati and Hasyim Muzadi garnered only 26.6 percent of some
\n118 million valid votes in the July 5 election, compared with
\nelection front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's 33.57 percent.<\/p>\n
Recent surveys by the Institute of Economic and Social Studies
\nand Development (LP3ES) and the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI)
\nhave suggested that the incumbent would get only 22 percent of
\nthe vote in the September election, while Susilo, who was also
\nMegawati's former coordinating minister for political and
\nsecurity affairs, would garner 68 percent.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mega-seeks-support-for-run-off-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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