Democratic Party fortune tellers' favorite

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Many scholars and political observers have made in-depth and informed predictions about the results of the April 5 legislative election, some even going so far as to predict the results of country's first direct presidential elections on July 5.

Their conclusions are often dismissed by politicians, especially those who do badly in their predictions, as the reasoning of "know-it-alls".

And, as recent reports indicate, it seems many politicians are more interested in finding out opinions of supernaturalists, dukun, or soothsayers.

In the spirit of this spiritual questioning, The Jakarta Post talked to fortune tellers on Wednesday to hear their divinations about who would do best in the legislative election... and beyond.

According to a noted fortune teller from Surabaya, Suhu Hery, the future looks brightest for the Democratic Party. This newly established party, with Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's, as its presidential candidate, will be the most impressive newcomer, outshining even the National Awakening Party (PKB) headed by former president Abdurrahman Wahid in the April 5 legislative election.

Susilo would also be strong competition to incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri in the July 5 direct presidential election, Suhu said.

He predicted the Golkar Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Mandate Party (PAN), and the United Development Party (PPP) would still dominate the top five parties as they did in the 1999 election. He refused, however, to rank the parties in this election.

"The year and month will take sides with these four parties, while the PKB will see a decreased position because this month will be very unfortunate for it," Suhu said,

He argued Golkar would win the most votes outside Java and while many grassroot voters would still vote for the PDI-P, which dominated the votes last time around.

The country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, would fully back up PAN, Suhu said. The PPP meanwhile, would rely on its traditional Muslim voters and those in the pesantren (Islamic boarding schools).

In 1999, Hery correctly predicted the country's political chaos. In October 1999, Abdurrahman Wahid defeated Megawati in the presidential elections, although the PDI-P won biggest votes in the election.

Celebrity psychics Ki Joko Bodo from Jakarta and Ki Joko Pamungkas from Cianjur agreed with many of Hery's prophecies.

Both of them believed Susilo would be the strongest candidate for president because of his charisma.

Ki Joko Bodo believed PAN chairman Amien Rais would have only a slim chance of winning the presidential race because he seemed too ambitious. Meanwhile, Megawati would be abandoned by her supporters at the last minute, he said.

Ki Joko Bodo, however, said it was possible a new figure would emerge after April 5.

Suhu, was more conservative, predicting the country would still be led by a woman president.

Megawati and former president Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti "Tutut" Rukmana are currently the only two women contenders for the July 5 election.

However, Suhu refused to name who that woman would be. "I can't tell you right now," he insisted.

Ki Joko Pamungkas warned the election would face many obstacles due to the intentional disruptions of "certain parties", who wanted the elections to be a failure.