Susilo unperturbed with Megawati's political maneuvers<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Semarang<\/p>\n
While running mates Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Yusuf Kalla are
\nsticking to their principle that they will seek a coalition
\npartner only after they win the Sept. 20 runoff, Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi are actively canvassing for
\nsupport from within and outside their power base to enable them
\nto beat their rival.<\/p>\n
Jusuf Kalla, Megawati's former people's welfare minister, said
\nthat his camp was not worried about the maneuvers of political
\nleaders to form coalitions. He asserted that meetings with voters
\nat the grassroots was of more strategic value than talking to
\npoliticians who claim that they have a huge support base behind
\nthem.<\/p>\n
Kalla said he doubted that Golkar supporters could all be
\ninstructed to vote for Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"We are not concerned about it, because a coalition among
\nparties will not be able to bring 100 percent of their
\nsupporters,\" Jusuf told the press after his meeting with a group
\nof businessmen at Wisma Anugerah in South Jakarta on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung however refuted Jusuf's
\nassumption, saying said that his party had a powerful network
\nthroughout the country, that could be used to help win the
\npresidency.<\/p>\n
He said that Golkar gained 24.4 million votes in the April 5
\nlegislative election and Golkar's presidential candidate Gen.
\n(ret) Wiranto garnered around 23 million votes in the July 5
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
\"It clearly shows that our political machine works,\" said
\nAkbar, who was defeated by Wiranto during the party's convention
\nbefore the July election.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nskipped her weekly meeting with the leaders of her Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), to receive several
\npoliticians at her private residence in Kebagusan, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
She received the Reform Star Party (PBR) chairman Zainuddin
\nM.Z., who supported Amien Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo in the July
\n5 election. The latter, who won the fourth largest number of
\nvotes in the election, has been practically eliminated from the
\nrace.<\/p>\n
\"If we wish to uphold civil supremacy we'll go with Ibu Mega,
\nbut if we want change, although we do not know what kind of
\nchange, then Susilo,\" the noted Muslim preacher said after the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
When asked about the presence of the Christian-based Peace
\nProsperous Party (PDS) in Megawati's team, Zaenuddin said:
\n\"Religion should not influence state affairs.\"<\/p>\n
PDS executives also visited the President on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
On the same day, Megawati's running mate Hasyim Muzadi also
\nheld a series of meetings with several leaders of major
\norganizations and the media in Semarang, Central Java.<\/p>\n
He visited the provincial offices of PDI-P, the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP), National Awakening Party (PKB), the
\nIndonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the head office of Suara
\nMerdeka daily.<\/p>\n
\"This is not about (forming) a coalition, that is for ibu Mega
\nto decide, my job is to deal with voters,\" Hasyim, who is
\ncurrently nonactive in his capacity as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
\nchairman.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, political expert Andi A. Mallarangeng and pollster
\nMuhammad Qodari said on Tuesday coalitions among the political
\nelite would not influence voting in the second round of the
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
\"The masses no longer relate to the political elite. People
\nwill make their own choices in the election,\" Andi told reporters
\nbefore the launching of a book titled Opinion Survey and
\nElections in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Qodari, a director of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI),
\nsaid voters would learn more about their candidates from the mass
\nmedia, especially from television, than by listening to the
\npolitical elite.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/susilo-unperturbed-with-megawatis-political-maneuvers-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}