Golkar accepts poll results, commends PDI Perjuangan win

Golkar accepts poll results, commends PDI Perjuangan win

JAKARTA (JP): Long-time ruling party Golkar put on a brave
face in its first ever defeat in the general election by
congratulating on Friday poll winner, the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Speaking at a media conference following completion of the
national vote count by the National Elections Commission (PPI),
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said the party accepted the
results. He paid tribute to parties which drew popular support,
particularly PDI Perjuangan, Antara reported.

"We officially congratulate the parties which have received
the people's trust to represent them in the House of
Representatives, following results of the 1999 elections.

"To the winner, in this case PDI Perjuangan, on behalf of
Golkar Party's board of executives we congratulate (them) for
gaining the most number of seats," he said.

PDI Perjuangan topped the tally with 38 million votes and a
projected 154 House seats. Golkar came a distant second with
23.67 million ballots, but closed the gap with the poll winner in
the race for House seats with 120.

Of the 48 parties which contested the June 7 polls, only 15
have clinched House seats so far.

Golkar won convincingly in each of the six elections held from
1971 onward under former president Soeharto's New Order regime.

Chairwoman of PDI Perjuangan Megawati Soekarnoputri maintained
her calm despite the victory. She refused to respond to the
announcement of the results, to the disappointment of some 20
journalists who waited for her for five hours at the party's
office in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta.

The party's secretary-general Alex Litaay was also not
available for comment. A party staff member said Alex and all PDI
Perjuangan executives were busy preparing for a leadership
meeting scheduled to commence on Sunday.

Separately, the United Development Party (PPP) refrained from
acknowledging PDI Perjuangan's triumph, saying the results had
not been validated by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

"We will congratulate the winner at the right moment," PPP
deputy chairman Zein Badjeber said.

He said the party would not object to the poll results, mainly
because the elections were run in a far better manner than those
in the past.

"But our acceptance should be exchanged with efforts from all
related institutions to settle all violations to election rules,"
Badjeber said.

The KPU is expected to announce the official vote tally on
July 25, following settlements of violation reports.

Now that the parties are heading for the General Session of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Akbar said Golkar had
called for a meeting of the big parties to discuss possible
obstacles during the convention.

He said the meeting could also serve as an early preparation
for the State Policy Broad Guidelines and other crucial matters,
including amendments to the 1945 Constitution and the
presidential nomination.

A National Awakening Party (PKB) executive, Khofifah Indar
Parawansa, said the party would focus on (preparing inputs for)
the state guidelines and several MPR decrees which needed
amending.

Speaking in a seminar of gender held by Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim
organization in Purwokerto, Central Java, Khofifah said among
decrees which should be changed was on that awards former
president Soeharto the Father of Development title.

She said the party had assigned five executives including
chairman Matori Abdul Jalil, Alwi Shihab and Muhaimin Iskandar to
discuss coalitions. The definite partner in a coalition so far is
PDI Perjuangan, she said.(45/imn/amd)