Golkar, PDI-P coalition possible: Taufik

The Jakarta Post, Surabaya/Jakarta

Influential Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) member Taufik Kiemas expressed interest in a formal coalition with the Golkar Party in the presidential elections, although this idea was quickly dismissed by his colleagues.

During his visit to Surabaya on Wednesday, Taufik said his wife, PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, deserved a running mate of Golkar Party leader Akbar Tandjung or Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) head Hasyim Muzadi's quality in the direct presidential election on July 5.

"Megawati fits figures like Hasyim Muzadi or Akbar Tandjung, as they share a similar platform," Taufik said.

He asserted such a coalition could materialize with the approval of the PDI-P's central executive board.

PDI-P secretary general Soetjipto quickly brushed aside the statement, saying the party had yet to decide on Megawati's running mate.

"PDI-P is not even looking into the possibility (of naming Akbar as vice presidential candidate). If Akbar said he wanted to be Megawati's vice president then it was his personal statement. We PDI-P have not yet begun any discussion on vice presidential candidates," Soetjipto said.

Taufik and Soetjipto were briefing the party's legislative candidates about who would contest the provincial and regental legislature elections in April.

This month, Akbar said he and other Golkar members were willing to form a coalition with the PDI-P. His statement came days after he was acquitted by the Supreme Court for corruption charges.

A coalition between the two nationalist-oriented parties may avoid a run-off, which is scheduled for Sept. 20. A presidential candidate needs a simple majority vote to win the top post.

In the 1999 election, the PDI-P won 33.8 percent of the vote, while Golkar Party around 20 percent.

Akbar has come under fire for his statement as Golkar has yet to conclude its national convention to select the party's presidential candidate.

In Jakarta, Golkar deputy leader Fahmi Idris said Akbar should retract his statement as it violated the objective of the convention.

"The convention is aimed at selecting the Golkar presidential candidate, not other posts. The party supporters are very sure we will win 33 percent of the vote and win the presidential election, Akbar should not have made such a statement," Fahmi said on Wednesday.

"It is not right to expect Golkar to finish second after PDI- P."

He said a meeting between Akbar and Taufik last December resulted in no agreement on a coalition between the two parties.

"The meeting could not be considered anything important because there was no detailed discussion of a possible coalition. There were no certain talks whatsoever on the coalition," Fahmi said.

Akbar said Golkar was ready to join forces with PDI-P and he was prepared to be nominated as a vice presidential aspirant.

"Yes, we could form a coalition with PDI-P because we have many similarities," said Akbar.

Both PDI-P and Golkar share similar platforms, had the same responses to current issues, and both were willing to share power, he said.

He said the coalition would much depend on the results of the legislative election.