Candidates seek aristocratic support

Nana Rukmana and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon/Jakarta

Despite the modern times, royal patronage looks like it is playing a key role in the upcoming presidential election runoff as both contenders have taken time out from their busy schedules to meet traditional rulers whose ancestors ruled on Java.

Frontrunner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, along with his wife Kristiani Herawati, paid a courtesy call on Cirebon Sultan Maulana Pakuningrat XIII on Thursday. The visit came after his rival, President Megawati Soekarnoputri received Yogyakarta sultan Hamengkubuwono X at her residence.

Susilo arrived at the Cirebon Palace at noon and was greeted by crown prince Adipati Arief Natadiningrat, who dressed in royal attire.

Susilo said he visited the sultan to ask for his support for a peaceful election on Sept. 20.

"We want the election to run well and democratically," the retired Army general said.

After the meeting, Sultan Maulana said that Susilo came to him of his own initiative and there was no commitment to supporting his presidential bid.

"The sultanate is a traditional institution which will remain neutral and take the same distance from both candidates," the sultan told The Jakarta Post.

Earlier in May, Susilo's running mate Jusuf Kalla had visited the sultanate to ask for the royal family's blessings.

Megawati had also paid a courtesy call to the Cirebon sultan, while Susilo has twice met with the Yogyakarta sultan since he was nominated as a presidential candidate.

Ancient sultanates and kingdoms have been maintained as centers of tradition and culture.

Only the sultan of Yogyakarta has been granted the privilege of holding administrative power, thanks to the province's special status. The provincial regulation on the election of the governor stipulates that the head of the regional government shall be appointed from among members of the royal family, which critics say is against the spirit of reform.

On Wednesday, Hamengkubuwono X held talks with Megawati at her residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta. He autographed a picture showing the two leaders sitting together and asked that it be disseminated across the country.

Megawati's campaign team said they believed the sultan had thrown his support behind her.

Most Yogyakarta voters chose Susilo and his running mate Jusuf Kalla in the first round of the presidential election in July, although Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle garnered the most votes in the April legislative election there.