Golkar comes out in force for Megawati

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post/Surabaya

Top Golkar leaders got tough on Sunday on behalf of presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running mate Hasyim Muzadi, threatening to take action against Golkar members in East Java who failed to support her.

Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung ordered party officials in Surabaya to support Megawati in the September runoff, saying the issue had been decided at Golkar's leadership meeting on Aug. 15.

Akbar was accompanied by party heavyweights Mahadi Sinambela, Theo F. Sambuaga, Agung Laksono, Yahya Zaini, Moch. Hatta and Bomer Pasaribu.

Akbar and his entourage held meetings with Golkar officials in Jakarta and Banten on Saturday, conveying the same tough message that party members must accept the leadership meeting's decision or face punishment. Akbar plans to visit Central Java and Yogyakarta on Monday.

Golkar, which received the most votes in the April 5 legislative election, has decided to throw its weight behind Megawati of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in her Sept. 20 runoff with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Golkar, the PDI-P, the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) and the Christian-based Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) signed an agreement on Aug. 19 to support Megawati, and to form a loose coalition in the House of Representatives until 2009.

The meeting between Akbar and Golkar officials in Surabaya was marked by a protest by dozens of PPP members, who demanded that their party withdraw its support for Megawati.

Akbar said in Surabaya that his meetings with Golkar officials were aimed at communicating the party's decision to form the so- called National Coalition in support of Megawati.

"We have to reach out to our constituents so that they can understand our considerations (in supporting Megawati). Of course we will not ignore their aspirations," he said.

Akbar said he expected up to 80 percent of the votes Golkar received in the legislative election to go to Megawati in the runoff.

"Golkar's political machinery, which failed to lead the Wiranto-Wahid pairing to victory, is expected to work at the maximum level in the second round," said Akbar, referring to Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid, Golkar's presidential and vice presidential candidates in the first round of the presidential election on July 5.

Wiranto and Solahuddin failed to reach the runoff, finishing third behind Susilo and Megawati.

Some observers have noted that Akbar and other party leaders have shown a greater willingness to campaign for Megawati than for Wiranto, who defeated Akbar for Golkar's presidential nomination.

During the visit on Sunday, Akbar and his entourage, together with politicians from the PPP, the PDS and the PDI-P, also inaugurated the four-party coalition in Surabaya.

Megawati's running mate, Hasyim, spent Saturday in East Java, where he met with several leaders of the Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, as well as with Golkar members in the town of Malang.

Hasyim said the next Cabinet would be more effective because the ministers would be responsible to the President, not their respective political parties.

Separately, National Awakening Party (PKB) leader Effendy Choirie said his party would announce its stance on the upcoming runoff after a national meeting in the coming days.

Effendy, however, said most PKB officials supported Susilo and his running mate Jusuf Kalla.

He also said the National Coalition built to support Megawati would have little effect on voters at the grassroots level.

"The people are clever enough to make their own choice," he said.