Akbar sends mixed signals on Habibie-Wiranto ticket

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung renewed on Tuesday the party's support of B.J. Habibie and Gen. Wiranto, but said their nominations for the presidency and vice presidency could be reviewed if necessary in a meeting next month.

Akbar said he lobbied other parties to support Golkar's nomination but none showed a commitment.

Speaking after meeting President Habibie at the latter's private residence in Patra Kuningan, South Jakarta, Akbar sent mixed signals about the commitment to the Habibie-Wiranto ticket.

He repeatedly expressed support for Habibie, but qualified it by stating that the nomination could be reviewed at Golkar's leadership meeting in Jakarta next month, "especially if the provincial branches demand an evaluation".

"In principle from an organizational approach, the presidential candidate question has been settled because it was already decided in the last leadership meeting," he said.

"However if the next meeting decides to reevaluate, it is also possible. I don't want to rule out such a possibility."

During the two-hour meeting with Akbar, Habibie was accompanied by Wiranto, who is the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief, and Minister of Justice/State Secretary Muladi.

Habibie reportedly summoned Akbar to the meeting.

Habibie also called Akbar to his private residence last week to inform him that he wanted regular meetings with him before the presidential election.

Habibie also summoned presidential hopeful Abdurrahman Wahid on Sunday to discuss Habibie's possible election.

A source close to Habibie who attended last week's meeting said the President was not fully confident of Akbar's support.

"He's loyal to the President, but it's possible that Akbar will change his position at the last minute," said the source who insisted on anonymity.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will convene here next month to elect the president.

Akbar said last week that he met with Wiranto to inform him that Golkar chose him to be Habibie's running mate.

Wiranto has not publicly accepted the nomination.

Akbar said Habibie himself picked the general as his partner. Golkar previously tipped Wiranto, Akbar, Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X as possible vice presidential candidates.

"Pak Wiranto has kept silent for now because he regards it as Golkar's business," Akbar said.

Akbar claimed that his decision to approach other major political parties to solicit more support for Habibie's nomination was fully backed by the President.

Akbar, who served as minister/state secretary until May, said Habibie would bow to a Golkar decision to drop his presidential nomination if the party was not able to win enough support for his election during the General Session of the MPR.

"If the MPR decides to take a decision which may be different from Golkar's aspirations, he will obey it, he will abide by the Constitution," said Akbar.

Alliance

Meanwhile, a senior political analyst noted that the delicate political balance before the presidential election will result in two main alliances of the "axis force" and the nationalist force vying for the national leadership.

As no single party has a complete majority in the 700-member MPR, a fair amount of political jockeying is expected.

"This is because no political party has sufficient votes to secure its presidential candidate," Arbi Sanit said on Tuesday.

Arbi said the likely balance would fall between the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), who he defined as the "nationalist force", and the "axis force" coalition of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and six Muslim parties including the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Justice Party (PK) and the United Development Party (PPP).

PDI Perjuangan with 153 seats has nominated its chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri. Her nomination has received support from the National Awakening Party (PKB) with its 51 seats.

However, PKB's founder Abdurrahman Wahid was nominated by the axis force who have about 119 seats.

Golkar won 120 seats in the election.

Arbi believed Golkar and PDI Perjuangan would eventually merge because they would not have enough support on their own.

The nationalist camp would use issues of nationalism while the axis force would likely rely on the Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organizations to acquire additional support.

PAN chairman Amien Rais warned that a coalition of Golkar and PDI Perjuangan would be "dangerous as it will resemble the coalition of the Old Order and the New Order".

"The axis force has already become a national force as it embraces all groups," Amien said. He added that the axis force was unlikely to nominate a vice presidential candidate from the military. (prb/05/emf)