Golkar Party considers teaming up with PKB, PPP

Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta

Once again, it's a case of everyone wanting the presidency and no one wanting to be No. 2, as is evident in hopefuls' efforts to influence voters who, for the first time, will have a direct say in choosing their leaders on July 5.

The Golkar Party, which has collected the most votes -- or over 20 percent -- in the legislative election so far, is considering teaming up with the National Awakening Party (PKB) or the United Development Party (PPP) to win the presidency.

Following its national gathering on Sunday, however, the PKB said it would go all out to try and have their candidate, former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, contest the July 5 direct presidential election. The PKB is still awaiting a judicial review of a ruling on presidential candidates' health, which could mean that Gus Dur might drop out of the race because of his severely impaired vision.

Akbar said the PKB candidate would need the consent of Gus Dur, the most influential leader in the party and its foundation, Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). He suggested several leading NU figures -- chairman Hasyim Muzadi or Solahuddin Wahid, the Gus Dur's younger brother -- as running mate to the Golkar presidential candidate, Gen. (ret) Wiranto.

"We would be glad if Gus Dur agrees to such a coalition", Akbar said on Sunday after welcoming Wiranto, who beat him at last Tuesday's convention to win the nomination.

On his visit to Akbar's house, Wiranto, a former military commander, was accompanied by his wife and members of his campaign team. Wiranto and his campaign team are scheduled on Monday to consult with the party's Central Executive Board (DPP) to discuss his running mate. Wiranto has made the rounds meeting several party leaders, including PKB'S Gus Dur and PPP's Hamzah Haz, in the past few days.

Musfihin, a close aide to Akbar, disclosed that some regional leaders had objected to Golkar's possible coalition with the PKB, saying that the party had once called for the dissolution of the Golkar Party, which is itself accused of having done everything possible in the past to sideline potential rivals.

Separately, at the PKB's national meeting, the party officiated a nine-member team, including chairman Alwi Shihab, to determine the criteria and propose running mates for Gus Dur.

The PKB also granted authority to Gus Dur -- in his capacity as chairman of the party's law making body syuriah -- to make any strategic move to enable the presidential pair to win in the July 5 election.

The most important criteria is that the candidate "must secure approval from the party's syuriah chairman", Hikam said.

In its plenary meeting last Friday, the NU endorsed chairman Hasyim to make a presidential bid, claiming that he was the only NU figure who would be able to gain the support of the majority of its members, which is claimed to reach 40 million.

However, Chairul Anam, who leads the PKB's chapter in stronghold East Java, warned PKB executives "to think twice" in nominating candidates other than Gus Dur, given that the province was believed to have contributed the majority of over 10 million popular votes gained so far.

Some eight million voters in East Java are believed to be NU members who want Gus Dur as president.

Meanwhile, a Sunday meeting between leaders of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) decided not to nominate any candidates for the presidential election nor to support any other candidates from other parties. The move may end speculation in the party rank and file on whether PKS executives support, for instance, Wiranto or Amien Rais, the leader of the National Mandate Party (PAN) with whom PKS leader Hidayat Nurwahid has met on a number of occasions.