Akbar, Megawati meeting hailed
JAKARTA (JP): Support has greeted the meeting of Akbar Tandjung and Megawati Soekarnoputri on Thursday, after Akbar acknowledged the possibility of a Golkar Party tie-up with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the winner in the recent polls.
President B.J. Habibie expressed his wish that Megawati and Akbar maintain contact and establish political cooperation. "The President was very happy with the meeting of the two leaders," said Syaiful Yusuf, a student who met with Habibie on Friday.
Separately, Minister of Defense/Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto also hailed the meeting. "If the political elite is aware that national unity depends on what they do, then I certainly welcome such a meeting and dialog conducted between them," Wiranto told Antara.
He said such meetings were needed to confront threats to democratization. Asked if the military could take part in such a meeting, Wiranto promised to be "proactive" in seeking peace and stability.
PDI Perjuangan won almost 34 percent of the vote in the June 7 elections, followed by Golkar with 22 percent. PDI Perjuangan is expected to win 154 of the 500 seats at the House of Representatives, and Golkar is estimated to take 120.
The two party leaders met in a discussion organized by the Association of Muslim Students (HMI), of which Akbar was a former chairman, and the Indonesian Nationalist Student Movement (GMNI), of which Megawati was an alumnae.
Afterward, Akbar suggested that a marriage between the two parties could work. "These two parties need each other and it is not possible to ignore these powers because one is the winner and the other is the next runner-up," Akbar said.
"These two parties are open and could live in plurality... I am ready to work together under the leadership of Ibu Megawati," Akbar said.
Megawati, however, reportedly rebuffed Akbar's overture. "With all modesty, I feel that Pak Akbar has flattered us (by calling) PDI Perjuangan the winner, but why are people meddling (with the victory)," she said.
Instead she lambasted efforts by a group of Muslim parties to team up and form a third force with enough strength in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to back their own candidate for the presidency in November.
The 700-member MPR, under the Indonesian Constitution, is not bound by election results, and the so-called third or "axis force" members have claimed that between them they could muster more votes than PDI Perjuangan.
"Oh, go right ahead -- central axis, left axis, right axis, bottom axis. The most important thing is my people and all the Indonesian people can see (that we have won). I am sure of it," Kompas quoted Megawati as saying.
While Akbar cited similarities between him and Megawati, Kompas said she highlighted their differences.
"What I will say is what differentiates us. In PDI Perjuangan, all party loyalists support me, while that's not the case in Golkar.
"There are even those (in Golkar) who have quietly lent their support to me. Poor Pak Akbar. Well, that's the problem he has on his hands," the Rakyat Merdeka daily quoted Megawati as saying, referring to open splits between reformists and nonreformists in Golkar.
Meanwhile, United Development Party (PPP) deputy chairman Husni Thamrin said the meeting between Akbar and Megawati may prevent disintegration caused by stiff competition between Megawati and Golkar's presidential candidate B.J. Habibie.
Marwah Daud Ibrahim of Golkar praised the meeting as an advancement in political developments here.
Chairman of Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah, Ahmad Syafii Maarif, however, said the meeting did not indicate a new alliance was being forged.
"They were only trying to approach one another. The meeting was not indicative of a coalition... that would be impossible," he said in Yogyakarta. (05/23/44/har/edt)