PDI-P mulls coalition with Golkar<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite mounting criticism against Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) forging a coalition with Golkar, PDI
\nPerjuangan leader Taufik Kiemas said on Friday that the ruling
\nparty was ready to join forces with the political vehicle of
\nformer dictator Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Taufik, who is also the husband of PDI Perjuangan chairwoman
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, said that Golkar had listed the best
\npeople to be presidential candidates in the 2004 election.<\/p>\n
"They (Golkar leaders) named the best people. If I were a
\npresidential candidate, I would be more than willing to run as
\ntheir running mate," said Taufik, who is the most influential PDI
\nPerjuangan leader.<\/p>\n
Asked if PDI Perjuangan was ready to form a coalition with
\nGolkar, Taufik said: "The most important thing is we share a
\ncommon nationalist platform with the party (Golkar)."<\/p>\n
Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid, Coordinating Minister
\nfor Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and
\nCoordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla are just
\nsome of Golkar's presidential hopefuls in the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear if Taufik was voicing the view of
\nthe majority in the party as some party leaders had stated during
\ntheir national meeting in March that the party should form a
\ncoalition with a Muslim-based party.<\/p>\n
Presidential candidates from big parties are counting on their
\nrunning mates to win the 2004 election, when the country is
\nholding its first ever direct presidential election.<\/p>\n
Over 200 political parties have registered with the Ministry
\nof Justice and Human Rights to contest the election, making it
\nnecessary for them to form a coalition to win more than 50
\npercent of the vote required to form a government.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the New Order Alert Committee (KWOB) and the
\nPetition 50 expressed strong opposition to a coalition between
\nPDI Perjuangan and Golkar, whose chairman Akbar Tandjung had been
\nconvicted of graft and sentenced to three years in jail. He is
\nfree pending his appeal.<\/p>\n
Taufik contended that sharing the same nationalist platform
\nand pluralism were the main conditions for PDI Perjuangan to form
\na coalition with other parties.<\/p>\n
However, the final decision of the party's running mate will
\nrest with Megawati, the President, who has been entrusted to
\nchoose her own running partner in the upcoming election.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said on Friday that his party
\nwas ready to form a coalition with any parties that share a
\ncommon nationalist platform, including PDI Perjuangan.<\/p>\n
He said so far there had yet to be an official discussion
\nregarding that possibility and that it would be further discussed
\nafter the legislative election in April 2004.<\/p>\n
"Should we have a significant vote in the elections we will
\nfind a running mate for our candidates in the presidential
\nelection," Akbar told Antara.<\/p>\n
Golkar is slated to hold a national conference in October to
\ndiscuss the issue and will finalize the list of names in
\nFebruary.<\/p>\n
Jusuf Kalla, who is also a senior member of Golkar, said on
\nFriday that he was ready to be Megawati's running mate in the
\nelections as long as it was in line with Golkar's decision.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Vice President Hamzah Haz said that it would be
\nbetter to have many presidential candidates to enliven the
\ndemocratic election.<\/p>\n
"The naming of several presidential candidates opens up the
\npossibility for many capable persons to come forward and lead the
\ncountry," he said after Friday prayers.<\/p>",
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