Coalitions only benefit the elite, analysts say

Coalitions only benefit the elite, analysts say

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Coalitions of parties to help presidential candidates win the
September election runoff would not benefit the nation as a whole
but instead serve largely the interests of the political elite,
analysts said on Sunday.

They said the coalitions of political parties to back either
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla or Megawati
Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi were apparently aimed at power-
sharing in the next Cabinet.

"I think the purpose of a political coalition is for power
sharing. It is a (logical) consequence," Syarif Hidayatullah
State Islamic University (UIN) rector Azyumardi Azra told The
Jakarta Post.

Similarly, J. Kristiadi of the Center for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS) said that such coalitions would
tarnish the direct presidential system.

"The coalitions will only show the real character of our
political leaders," he said, referring to their power-hungry
tactics.

According to Kristiadi a coalition would be useful if it was
designed to build effective communication between the
presidential candidates and voters.

However, he stressed that the current coalitions forged by
parties would not effectively influence voters because they
already had their own political preferences.

Azyumardi further said political parties needed to join forces
due to the fact that no major party had secured the majority of
seats in the House of Representatives.

"With a coalition, political stability can be maintained. How
long a coalition can last will depend on the political parties
grouped in it," he added.

According to Azyumardi, it would be too risky for the elected
president not to form a coalition because there would be many
policies that require the endorsement of the House.

Recently, three major parties -- the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDIP), the Golkar Party, the United
Development Party (PPP), as well as the smaller Prosperous Peace
Party (PDS) -- declared a coalition to support Megawati's
reelection bid.

Leaders of the four parties have vowed that the "Nationhood
Coalition" would be a permanent alliance until 2009. The major
coalition of the four parties will make up 308 seats in the
House.

Kristiadi said he doubted whether such a coalition would last.
"The political leaders say they will make a permanent coalition.
They forget that a coalition is simply built in the interests of
their respective parties," he argued.

Meanwhile, the Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)
decided last week to back the nomination of Megawati's former
chief security minister, Susilo, who won the first round of
presidential election on July 5.

Support also came from the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party
apart from the newly created Democratic Party that nominated
Susilo. The three parties including the PKS will make up 112
seats in the House.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) led by defeated candidate
Amien Rais announced on Friday that it would stay neutral in the
Sept. 20 election runoff, but would allow its supporters to vote
either for Susilo or Megawati. The party has 53 seats in the
House.

Though former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid endorsed
on Saturday Susilo's candidacy in his personal capacity, his
National Awakening Party (PKB) with 52 members in the House has
yet to decide on its stance.

Susilo had initially said he would build a political coalition
only after he won the presidency. Fearing that he could lose
party support, he changed his mind and approached several
political leaders.