Megawati advised to show more wisdom<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid has advised poll winner
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri to refrain from openly criticizing
\npolitical figures, including President B.J. Habibie, lest it
\nupset the ongoing process of political reconciliation.<\/p>\n
\"All the criticisms that she delivered in her speech were
\ngood, but it would be better if she showed more wisdom and mercy,
\nincluding toward Habibie,\" said the chairman of Indonesia's
\nlargest Islamic organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, was referring to the
\npolitical speech that his protege delivered on July 29. In her
\nspeech, Megawati said the results of the June 7 polls
\ndemonstrated a no-confidence vote for Habibie's administration.<\/p>\n
Megawati also recommended Habibie, as the leader of a
\ntransitional government, refrain from making strategic decisions
\nwithout consulting her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan) which won 33.7 percent of the vote.<\/p>\n
\"It would be better if we press for reform ... without
\ndisparaging others,\" Abdurrahman, whose National Awakening Party
\n(PKB) took third place in the polls, was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Megawati's address was praised by many political analysts,
\nincluding leading political scientist Mochtar Pabottingi, who
\nsaid the event reaffirmed her position as a reform leader.<\/p>\n
\"(The speech) is a plus point for her, PDI Perjuangan and the
\nreform movement,\" he said on Saturday. \"This affirmation will be
\nuseful in strengthening ties between reform groups such as the
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN) and PKB.\"<\/p>\n
Mochtar, a senior researcher at the Indonesian Institute of
\nSciences (LIPI), suggested Abdurrahman Wahid and PAN chairman
\nAmien Rais support Megawati's presidential bid.<\/p>\n
Criticism of the speech has also come from various quarters,
\nincluding Amien, whose party came fifth in the elections.<\/p>\n
From the Central Java capital of Semarang, Amien said on
\nSaturday Megawati's speech was \"quite good\", but that it also
\nreflected her arrogance. He described Megawati's stance on
\nHabibie as \"overly threatening\" for the requirements of good
\nconduct necessary in a democracy.<\/p>\n
Amien suggested Megawati follow up on her policy address. \"I
\njust hope that after this, Megawati will really go out there and
\nmeet the public and students and talk to non-governmental
\norganization activists, journalists, businesspeople and the
\nforeign community... If she did this, I would be very happy
\nbecause the presidential candidate that won the most votes showed
\nher willingness to listen to people's aspirations.\"<\/p>\n
A harsher reaction came from Muslim leader Ahmad Syafii
\nMaarif, chairman of the second largest Islamic organization
\nMuhammadiyah. He said he personally did not support Megawati's
\npresidential bid, citing his lack of faith in her capabilities.<\/p>\n
Syafii, speaking on Saturday at a regular discussion held by
\nThe Jakarta Post in Yogyakarta, said if the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) elected Megawati as president he would respect the
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
However he added: \"I would probably resign from my position as
\nchairman of Muhammadiyah\" because (her election to the
\npresidency) could mean continued contact with her. \"This I would
\nnot be able to bear,\" Syafii said.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati has yet to be tested... she has not even made a
\ncommitment to correct the mistakes of the previous presidents,
\nincluding her own father (founding president) Sukarno.<\/p>\n
\"Gender is not an issue for me... it was her statement in an
\ninterview with a foreign magazine that if she was elected she
\nwould revive her father's teachings... that's what rankled me.\"<\/p>\n
The axis force<\/p>\n
Following the announcement of the provisional poll results,
\nwhich showed the ruling Golkar Party tailing PDI Perjuangan,
\nexpressions of support for either Megawati or Habibie have become
\nso marked that concerns have been raised about its polarizing
\neffect on the public.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to break this struggle for the presidency, Amien
\nRais recently introduced a new political alliance, the \"axis
\nforce\", that has received the support of Islamic parties,
\nincluding the United Development Party (PPP), fourth overall in
\nthe polls.<\/p>\n
Amien said the alliance was meant to introduce equilibrium
\ninto the current political configuration, and to introduce
\nalternative presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
Mochtar Pabottingi, however, suggested that Amien should
\nwithdraw from the new alliance, which he said was dominated by
\nthe PPP. \"In the axis force, Hamzah Haz (the chairman of PPP) is
\nthe dominant figure. Amien does not have a decisive role, and it
\nwould harm him and PAN if he stayed there.<\/p>\n
\"PAN should instead concentrate on preparing itself for the
\nnext elections,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Political expert Pratikno from Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity, however, said he did not believe the new alliance had
\nenough power to push for an alternative presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
\"The axis force would merely become a group that lobbies the
\ntwo competing sides (Megawati's and Habibie's), rather than
\nintroducing a new candidate,\" Pratikno said. \"The alliance was
\nformed merely to buy (the involved parties) leverage during
\npolitical bargaining.<\/p>\n
\"Let's be realistic, Megawati still enjoys the most public
\nsupport,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ahmad Syafii Maarif also believed the axis would eventually
\nside with Habibie in the presidential race, if the latter's
\naccountability of his tenure in the coming MPR session was
\naccepted by the people's representatives.<\/p>\n
Other speakers at the discussion held by the Post were
\nconstitutional law expert M. Mahfud MD of the Indonesian Islamic
\nUniversity and anthropologist PM Laksono of Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity. Both responded favorably to the new alliance.<\/p>\n
\"It's not meant to block Megawati's presidential bid,\" Mahfud
\nsaid. \"It's a legal and constitutional campaign... and it should
\npress forward with an alternative presidential candidate.\"
\n(23\/44\/swe)<\/p>",
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