PDI-P ready to select Gus Dur for MPR from capital<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city council faction of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) is likely to
\nnominate Muslim scholar Abdurrahman Wahid next week as one of its
\ntwo representatives for the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
Faction councilors Tarmidi Suhardjo and Azis Boeang revealed
\nthe party's preliminary agenda to reporters on Friday, saying
\nthat the nomination of Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, was to
\nbe finalized after a discussion with other party councilors later
\nin the evening.<\/p>\n
However, results were not available at press time.<\/p>\n
Councilor Azis said that the nomination of Gus Dur by PDI
\nPerjuangan was expected to help cover the faction's mistakes made
\nduring the election of the council speaker on Monday.<\/p>\n
The idea to opt for Gus Dur, he said, was considered following
\nthe rejection from the General Elections Commission (KPU) for the
\nnomination of Gus Dur, the chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), as
\nNU's candidate representative in the MPR.<\/p>\n
The commission argued that Gus Dur could not be nominated for
\nthe post since he was a sympathizer of the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB), which also participated in the recent June poll.<\/p>\n
But NU executives contended that Gus Dur was merely a founder
\nof PKB.<\/p>\n
\"The move is also meant to pay respect to Gus Dur, who has
\nalways supported the nomination of Megawati Soekarnoputri for the
\ncountry's next president, although the 'axis force' (Poros
\nTengah) keeps on nominating him for the presidency,\" Azis said.<\/p>\n
Tarmidi, who is also the faction chairman, said he personally
\nhad no objection at all with Gus Dur's nomination.<\/p>\n
\"I will tell the idea to our party's meeting,\" Tarmidi, who is
\nalso the council deputy speaker, said.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan will also nominate Hobes Sinaga, an executive
\nat the party research and development department, as its city
\nrepresentative along with Gus Dur.<\/p>\n
Based on the poll vote count and composition of the council,
\nPDI Perjuangan is projected to receive two of the five MPR seats
\nfor Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The three remaining seats are expected to be held by the
\nmilitary faction, the United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN).<\/p>\n
The military has reportedly nominated former city governor Lt.
\nGen. (ret) Surjadi Soedirdja. PAN has reportedly nominated its
\ncity chapter executive, Daniel Abdullah Sani, and PPP has likely
\nchosen its West Jakarta chairman, Achmad Suaidy.<\/p>\n
Rumor<\/p>\n
The five representatives will be chosen in the council's
\nplenary session scheduled for Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Councilor Azis also denied a widespread rumor that he and his
\ncolleagues had received a certain amount of money from a certain
\ngroup which was looking for support for the reelection of
\ncandidate Edy Waluyo from the military faction.<\/p>\n
But Azis insisted that the rumor over money politics \"was
\nmainly due to the party's strategy mistake\".<\/p>\n
The councilor refused to give details on the strategy mistake
\nbut denied allegations that the party's councilors had received
\nKijang vans from Governor Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment, Sutiyoso insisted that he had not
\ndistributed money to influence any members of the councilors to
\npick certain candidates.<\/p>\n
\"I have no personal interests. All council speaker candidates
\nare fine with me,\" he told reporters on Friday.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso also claimed that he did not meet party leaders to
\ndiscuss the election of the speaker.<\/p>\n
The governor also said he did not meet PDI Perjuangan city
\nchapter chairman Roy B.B. Janis at Hotel Borobudur in Central
\nJakarta prior to the election on Monday.<\/p>\n
Councilors, who asked for anonymity, confirmed that they were
\ninvited by the governor to his official residence on Sunday
\nevening \"to discuss the vote\".<\/p>\n
All refused to give details of the meeting.<\/p>\n
In the vote on Monday, Edy secured 40 votes, Djafar Badjeber
\nfrom PPP received 30, Tarmidi got nine while M. Suwardi from PAN
\ngot none. Five votes were declared invalid.<\/p>\n
Upon seeing the small number of votes for Tarmidi, dozens of
\nPDI Perjuangan supporters protested and yelled at their
\nrepresentatives on the council for voting for the military.<\/p>\n
Based on the June 7 poll, PDI Perjuangan has 30 seats in the
\ncouncil while PPP and PAN have 13 seats respectively.<\/p>\n
Although the military faction did not join the general
\nelection, they received nine allotted seats in the City Council.
\n(jun)<\/p>",
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