Congress support for Megawati shows 'public aspirations'

DENPASAR (JP): Senior members of Megawati Soekarnoputri's faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) believe the overwhelming support for her presidential candidacy at a congress here mirrors the people's wish for a new leader.

Aberson Marle Sihaloho and Mochtar Buchori agreed the support of her nomination was "realistic" and would "uphold people's sovereignty".

"The PDI members' wish that Megawati be nominated for the presidency reflects people's aspirations," Aberson told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the congress on Friday.

Another senior member, Kwik Kian Gie, said he was convinced that Megawati would not use "people power" when she ran for the presidency.

He said PDI did not agree with trying to whip up public sentiment to force its will because the president was elected by members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

"The only way for Megawati to become president is through election," he said.

"By gaining as many votes in the election as possible, there will be a chance for Megawati to be the next president."

He added that he would not back the use of "people power" to force President B.J. Habibie out of office.

"I would not agree to the use of an unconstitutional approach, including demonstrations, to force President Habibie to step down."

Aberson said he had proposed to the congress' steering committee that a discussion on a new, direct presidential election system be included in the agenda of the congress, which is scheduled to close on Saturday.

"Pak Kwik (chairman of the steering committee) agreed to the proposal, but a meeting of the committee decided against it."

Aberson called on the congress participants to observe the real political conditions and people's readiness for a new presidential election system.

"The 1945 Constitution was created in a situation inappropriate for a direct presidential election," he said.

"Even the American people elected the first 15 of their presidents through the Congress (the upper House). But after the political condition improved and the infrastructure was ready, they directly elected their president."

He described presidential election through the People's Consultative Assembly as an indirect democratic system.

When reminded that Megawati has avowed commitment to the 1945 Constitution -- which stipulates the mechanism for presidential election through the Assembly -- Aberson recommended that there should be a closer perusal of the document's contents.

"An article of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that the Constitution could be changed by the MPR, but not the state ideology Pancasila."

He cited Article 3 of the 1945 Constitution, which stipulates that it is the Assembly that establishes the Constitution and the State Policy Guidelines.

"The Constitution and the State Policy Guidelines can be reviewed every five years," he said.

Political observer Mochtar Buchori supported Aberson's opinion that a president should be directly elected by the people.

"It's high time the 1945 Constitution be reviewed. We are not supposed to treat it as something sacred."

Mochtar, also a member of the faction's research and development center, said PDI had suggested since 1996 that the presidential election system be changed.

A member of the congress' steering committee, Sophan Sophiaan, said the committee rejected Aberson's proposal from inclusion in the congress agenda due to its timing.

"It's not because of the content of his proposal, but members of the steering committee considered it premature to discuss the issue," he told the Post.

"It'll only be relevant to discuss the issue after the next five years."

He said the new PDI executive board would not have access to the extraordinary session of the MPR in November, while next year's General Session would retain the same Constitution as that used in last year's MPR session. (43/imn)