Backroom politicking saves Gus Dur's job

Backroom politicking saves Gus Dur's job

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's decision to
delegate the daily execution of government to Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri may have been as much about his own
political survival as it was improving the performance of his
administration.

Politicians indicated that intensive backroom politicking over
the last 48 hours clinched a concession which would both enhance
the work of government and at the same time ensure Abdurrahman's
survival.

The perceived threat of changing the coming week of the
Assembly's Annual Session into a special session which could
impeach the President now seems to be fading.

Golkar Party deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman, just hours
before the formal announcement of Megawati's new role, revealed
there had been a "positive development" between his party,
Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) and Abdurrahman's National Awakening Party (PKB).

Marzuki, who is also the attorney general, said the three
parties had agreed to work together to support the administration
after the Annual Session, which ends on Aug. 18.

"There has been a general acceptance (between the three
parties) that Gus Dur should continue," Marzuki said, referring
to the President by his nickname.

"These parties have agreed that they will not battle Gus Dur's
administration anymore, but together will try to solve the
problems faced by the government," he added.

Many believe Abdurrahman's decision to hand over some of his
responsibilities to Megawati was behind the softening of Golkar
and PDI Perjuangan.

"Things at the Assembly are clearer because they can be more
politically calculated now," Marzuki said.

PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Syaifullah Yusuf also confirmed
some steps had been taken toward "the political regrouping"
between his party, Golkar and PKB.

"There are some actions that have been taken to examine that
possibility but it is still very early to say anything about it,"
Syaifullah said on Wednesday.

He added that the move was initiated by PKB chairman Matori
Abdul Djalil.

Sources told The Jakarta Post there had been two meetings
between leaders of the three parties during the Annual Session,
with the last one taking place on Wednesday afternoon at the
Hilton Hotel, where the majority of the legislators from the
three parties are staying during the session.

A coalition between the three factions would give them an
unchallengeable majority in the 700-member Assembly. PDI
Perjuangan holds 185 seats, Golkar 182 and PKB has 57 seats.

Sophan Sophiaan, the head of the PDI Perjuangan faction in the
Assembly, confirmed the three factions had held intense meetings.
"Yes, that's right," he said when asked by the Post.

"That was the result of the meeting because we're trying to
avoid an impeachment, we're trying to find a good solution and
quite honestly we are also hoping for a good implementation of
Gus Dur's intention to reshuffle the Cabinet," he said.

Speaking before the formal announcement of Megawati's added
responsibilities, Sophan already indicated her ascendance.

"We estimate and believe that if it has to be handed to anyone
it should be the Vice President. I think we're all in agreement
that a first minister is unnecessary."

Sophan also asserted he did not want the new tradition of
holding an Annual Session to become merely a forum for toppling
the president.

"We don't want it to be a constitutional practice that every
year the Assembly can unseat the president," Sophan told the Post
in a telephone interview.

PDI Perjuangan, the largest faction in the Assembly, said last
week the President should be allowed to serve his full five-year
term in office. (byg/dja)