PKB distances itself from Megawati<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The People's Awakening Party (PKB) has asserted
\nthat it does not support Megawati Soekarnoputri and will pick its
\nown candidate in next year's presidential election.<\/p>\n
The party -- whose establishment in July was facilitated by
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, the chairman of Indonesia's largest Moslem
\norganization Nahdlatul Ulama and a close ally of Megawati -- also
\nsaid it was confident that it would win the general election.<\/p>\n
Party chairman Matori Abdul Djalil acknowledged the growing
\nopinion that his party would form an alliance with Megawati's
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) after the general elections in
\nMay. He also said some people believed the PKB would support
\nMegawati's bid for the presidency.<\/p>\n
"I want to state here that the PKB will name its own
\npresidential candidate in due course," Matori said at a gathering
\nwith journalists at the luxury Kartika Chandra hotel here on
\nFriday. He declined to mention any names.<\/p>\n
He recalled how a person would be considered a hero if he
\ndared to nominate himself for the presidency during the rule of
\nformer president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"Now, someone who nominated himself for the presidency would
\nbe considered arrogant," he said, adding that the right time to
\nannounce a presidential candidate would be after a party was sure
\nit had won in the election.<\/p>\n
"Wouldn't you be embarrassed if you named a candidate only to
\nfind out that you have not done well in the election," he said.<\/p>\n
Three people have so far emerged as strong candidates for the
\nnext presidency. They are Megawati from the PDI, Amien Rais of
\nthe National Mandate Party (PAN) and State Minister of Food and
\nHorticulture A.M. Saefuddin, who is also an executive of the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
An American expert on Indonesia, R. William Liddle from Ohio
\nState University, has predicted that the PKB will finish among
\nthe top five political parties in next May's election. Liddle,
\nspeaking in August, said the other four would be the PDI under
\nMegawati, the Crescent Star Party (PBB), Golkar and PAN.<\/p>\n
Matori said on Friday that his party had "looked to the
\nregions" to see if it could really meet Liddle's prediction.<\/p>\n
"Apparently, we reckon we could win," he added.<\/p>\n
Also on Friday, Matori and PKB executives Isa Muchsin and K.
\nUsman said the general election should be held on schedule at all
\ncost.<\/p>\n
Matori said the PKB had noted statements made by a number of
\ngovernors and regents to the effect that people may not be ready
\nfor an election next year given the depressed state of the
\neconomy.<\/p>\n
"Those (are) signs (that they) want to preserve the status
\nquo," he said.<\/p>\n
He said President B.J. Habibie's government was purely
\ntransitional in nature and must pave the way for a general
\nelection as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
Matori said his party believed that the People's Consultative
\nAssembly should convene to set up a new government as soon as the
\nelection is over and the votes have been counted.<\/p>\n
The current agenda sets the election for May and the MPR
\nassembly for late December. The new government is expected to be
\nformed in January 2000.<\/p>\n
"Why such long a time? What if the government party does not
\nwin in the election? ... Won't it just add to the uncertainty?"
\nMatori said.<\/p>\n
On Friday, PKB also announced that it would gather its
\nchapters and branches from around the nation at the Senayan
\nindoor sports stadium on Oct. 18.<\/p>\n
NU chairman Abdurrahman is expected to deliver a "brief
\npolitical message", Matori said. (aan)<\/p>",
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