Pro-Mega parties won't accept cabinet posts if she losses<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The coalition of major parties backing President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's bid to retain power has vowed to serve as an
\nopposition force, should she lose Monday's election runoff.<\/p>\n
Golkar Party leader Akbar Tandjung said on Monday the four
\nparties in the coalition would not join the cabinet of rival
\ncandidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and running mate Jusuf Kalla
\nif the pair won the election.<\/p>\n
\"This is a long term and permanent coalition. Should we lose
\nthe election, we will became an opposition force in the House of
\nRepresentatives,\" said Akbar, who leads the pro-Megawati
\nalliance.<\/p>\n
The coalition, comprising Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP) and
\nthe Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), controls more than 60 percent
\nof seats in the 550-strong House.<\/p>\n
The Reform Star Party (PBR), the Concern for the Nation
\nFunctional Party (PKPB) and the Marhaenisme Indonesian National
\nParty (PNI Marhaenisme) also supported Megawati's reelection bid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Susilo's Democratic Party and the Islam-oriented
\nProsperous Justice Party, with which it coalesced, won only 55
\nand 45 seats in the House respectively in the April 5 legislative
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Support for Susilo also came from senior leaders of the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party
\n(PAN).<\/p>\n
Akbar made the statement as Susilo, who is Megawati's former
\nchief security minister, took the lead in the preliminary vote
\ntally on Monday evening.<\/p>\n
However, Akbar was optimistic that the Megawati-Hasyim ticket
\nwould win the runoff with 55 percent of the vote. \"I am sure we
\ncan get that much,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Akbar and some other Golkar executives, PPP leader Hamzah Haz,
\nPDS leader Ruyandi Hutasoit and PKPB leader R. Hartono visited
\nMegawati at her private residence on Jl. Kebagusan after they
\ncast their votes separately.<\/p>\n
Megawati's current Cabinet ministers and relatives, as well a
\nfew PDI-P executives, also visited her house.<\/p>\n
At home, Megawati looked calm and collected -- her smiling
\nface showed no sign of stress, although the preliminary vote
\ntabulation showed her defeat to Susilo.<\/p>\n
\"I am not tense at all. We are all waiting to see what the
\nelection results will be. I will not say anything as we cannot be
\nsure yet,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The President expressed gratitude to the people for their
\nenthusiasm as the presidential election was completed.<\/p>\n
\"I also thank the coalition for its hard work -- and, of
\ncourse, we have to remain vigilant for what is to come after the
\nelection,\" she added.<\/p>\n
When asked what she would do should she lose the election,
\nMegawati said: \"I don't like to talk about something that has not
\nhappened yet. We will see later.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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