'Axis force' tips Gus Dur as presidential candidate

JAKARTA (JP): With the presidential election just five weeks away, the "axis force" political coalition is positioning Abdurrahman Wahid as the perfect candidate to avoid the hazardous divergence between the two leading nominees.

National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais and Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra both lauded Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, as an acceptable comprise to avoid potential national conflict stemming from the tough leadership race between the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the Golkar Party.

"I have tried to assess who would be the right leader to maintain the nation's unity, and found that Gus Dur is the appropriate person," Amien said.

Speaking at a discussion on the presidency on Saturday, Amien remarked that there would be less resistance to Abdurrahman than PDI Perjuangan's Megawati Soekarnoputri or Golkar's nomination of incumbent B.J. Habibie.

Such was Amien's confidence that he predicted that under a fair election process, Abdurrahman would receive more than 51 percent of the vote.

He maintained that the nation now needed a future leader who could represent the aspirations of various elements of society.

"If he seems inconsistent, that's the risk of a person who is accepted by different groups," Amien said, referring to Abdurrahman's often shifting and confusing comments on national policy.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will begin the first phase of its General Session on Oct.1 and is expected to elect a new president by Nov. 1.

At the present juncture it is almost impossible to predict who will come out on top because neither PDI Perjuangan nor Golkar, the two highest vote-getters in the June 7 general election, have a majority in the Assembly.

PAN and several Islamic-leaning parties have banded together to form a loose coalition known as the axis force.

Spearheaded by PAN Amien, the axis force -- which includes the United Development Party (PPP), the Justice Party (PK) and PBB -- has suggested Abdurrahman as an alternative presidential candidate.

However, Abdurrahman himself has remained aloof concerning his nomination, making only vague comments of at first backing Megawati's nomination, and then expressing readiness, sometimes eagerness, to lead the nation if asked.

Abdurrahman is chairman of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization.

As an institution, NU has declared it will not involve itself in practical politics. However, its leaders are core founders of the National Awakening Party (PKB), which received the third highest number of votes in the general election.

PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil previously declared his party's support for Megawati and has so far remained firm in his conviction despite Abdurrahman's apparent fickleness.

Amein appears unfazed by Abdurrahman's failure to acknowledge the axis force's nomination

"God willing, Gus Dur will be ready to run as the axis force's presidential candidate," he said on Saturday.

Yusril Ihza Mahendra highlighted the potential for unrest, warning of extreme discontent from the legions of PDI Perjuangan or Golkar faithful if either's candidate were to lose the presidential election race to the other.

"That would not be the case if Gus Dur is elected," he remarked.

Yusril further lauded what he described as Abdurrahman's unifying qualities: "Gus Dur is smart and able to get people to sit together".

Golkar executive and minister of manpower, Fahmi Idris, who was also present at the discussion, said his party recognized that it could dominate the two top posts in the government.

Golkar chief Akbar Tanjung said last week he had offered the vice presidency to Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto. There has so far been no public response from Wiranto.

In a surprising gesture, Fahmi remarked that "if the offer for the vice president position to Wiranto is not wavering, I personally think it should be opened for other candidates from all social and political elements."

The presidential running-mate is expected to be the deciding swing vote in what many believe will be a close race.

While nothing has been formalized, many observers point out that a Megawati-Matori duet is one likely combination.

Schedule

In preparation for the upcoming presidential election, the seven top parties in the new House of Representatives (DPR) have agreed to "accelerate" the schedule of the coming General Session of the Assembly.

The first phase of the General Session will be held from Oct. 1 trough Oct. 3 in which Assembly members will be inaugurated and then endorse the MPR internal rules, select House and Assembly speakers, heads of factions and establish a working group.

Yusril here on Sunday said that the working group was expected to begin its work on Oct. 5 and work in three commissions to draft the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN), Assembly decrees and amendments to the 1945 Constitution.

The second phase will be held from Oct. 22 through Nov. 1 in which the Assembly will hear the president's accountability speech, elect a president and vice president, and endorse the GBHN.

The seven parties have agreed that the presidential election process should be held in several rounds in the event that there are more than two candidates.

The final round would pit the two remaining candidates, with the majority winner becoming the nation's next president. (06)