PAN states terms on PDI-P coalition<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais
\nsaid on Saturday his party was prepared to form a coalition with
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
\nwhich is leading the polls, but only if it agreed to four
\nconditions.<\/p>\n
\"PAN is ready to make a coalition with PDI Perjuangan provided
\nthe latter is committed to amending the 1945 Constitution,
\nphasing out the Indonesian Military's dual function, trying
\nformer president Soeharto and giving large autonomy to provinces
\nand regencies,\" he said in a meeting with reporters at the
\nMuhammadiyah Muslim organization's compound in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Analysts say urgently needed changes to the 1945 Constitution
\ninclude a definitive limit on the presidential term in office.
\nThe Constitution states a president is elected once in five
\nyears, which can be extended for \"another\" term. The ambiguity is
\ncredited with allowing Soeharto to remain in power for 32 years.<\/p>\n
Amien, known as an outspoken critic of Soeharto's New Order
\nregime, said there were no substantial ideological differences
\nbetween PAN and PDI Perjuangan as both were committed to reform.<\/p>\n
\"The two parties actually have many similarities both in
\nideology and political platforms, and there will be no big
\nproblem for the two parties to form a coalition government if
\nthey win the elections,\" he said.<\/p>\n
PAN is now trailing in fourth place in national results and
\nonly leads in West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan has never stated any commitment on the four
\nsubjects outlined by Amien, but has vowed to uphold a unitary
\nstate.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan's deputy chairman Dimyati Hartono said on
\nSaturday in Purwokerto, Central Java, that his party would only
\nannounce its official stance on a coalition after it received the
\ncomplete results from the polls.<\/p>\n
The professor of law said his party was against federalism.
\nAmien earlier raised the idea but dropped it following an outcry
\nprompted by fears of national disintegration.<\/p>\n
Amien, PDI Perjuangan leader Megawati Soekarnoputri and
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, one of the founders of the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB), forged a joint communique to enhance cooperation and
\nto prevent incumbent President B.J. Habibie, considered by many a
\nvestige of the New Order, from staying in power.<\/p>\n
Amien also said Saturday that his party rejected the
\npossibility of a coalition with the ruling Golkar Party, which
\nhas named Habibie as its presidential candidate. In a seeming
\ncontradiction, however, he added that PAN might form a coalition
\nwith Golkar \"minus Habibie\", but only if Golkar could prove it no
\nlonger retained links to the New Order.<\/p>\n
Amien has frequently criticized Habibie and his government for
\nfoot-dragging in the investigation of alleged corruption and
\nabuses of power by Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman said on
\nSaturday that it would be difficult for his party to form a
\ncoalition with PDI Perjuangan because it was its \"closest rival
\nin the group of five big parties expected to gain a major victory
\nin the elections\"<\/p>\n
\"In the 'Big Five', the United Development Party (PPP) is the
\nonly party with which Golkar will likely make a coalition. There
\nalso are possibilities for us to make a coalition with the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) and PAN, and this will need
\nfurther talks after the complete results of the elections are
\nannounced,\" he said at the vote tabulation center at Hotel
\nAryaduta Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Marzuki predicted his party would come second in the polls,
\nbeating PKB, which is second in provisional results but has weak
\nsupport outside Java.<\/p>\n
Since Friday Golkar has refused to share results of its
\ninternal counting with the public.<\/p>\n
Separately, Nasir Tamara, a member of PPP's board of experts,
\nsaid that it would be impossible for his party to enter into a
\ncoalition with PDI Perjuangan given their different ideologies.<\/p>\n
\"PPP will seek possibilities to form a coalition with Golkar
\nand other Muslim parties,\" he said at a party gathering on
\nSaturday. PDI Perjuangan has been criticized for fielding many
\nnon-Muslim candidates in a predominantly Muslim country.<\/p>\n
As of 7:50 p.m. on Saturday, 25,429,823 of 117 million votes
\nwere tabulated, or roughly 25 percent. However, extenuating
\nfactors likely to affect the count include the decision of the
\nprovincial election committee to repeat the polls in North
\nSumatra and the decision of the Jakarta committee to recount
\nmillion its ballots.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan gained 38.26 percent of the votes counted,
\nfollowed by the PKB (19.21 percent) and Golkar (16.21 percent).<\/p>\n
Strife-torn provinces of Aceh, Maluku, Irian Jaya and East
\nTimor have yet to submit results.<\/p>\n
In North Sulawesi, where the provincial election committee
\ndecided on Saturday to repeat the polls, Golkar led with 60.50
\npercent of 143,759 votes, with PDI Perjuangan trailing far behind
\nwith 10.54 percent.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, where the provincial election committee said on
\nFriday that all votes would be recounted, PDI Perjuangan led with
\n39.43 percent of 2,039,704 votes followed by PPP (17.49 percent)
\nand PAN (16.25 percent).<\/p>\n
A minor party recording significant results is the
\nLove the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB) in North Sumatra, which
\ntook 13.81 percent of the 55,246 votes to rank third behind PDI
\nPerjuangan and Golkar. (rms\/45\/anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pan-states-terms-on-pdi-p-coalition-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}