Gus Dur endorses Susilo's bid for presidency

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Reneging on his earlier vow to abstain, former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid declared on Saturday he would vote for Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the Sept. 20 runoff.

Emerging from a 30-minute talk at the Regent Hotel, Gus Dur said he did not represent the National Awakening Party (PKB), which he co-founded in 1998, in his decision.

"Personally yes, but there are differences between personal and party views," he said, when asked if he supported Susilo.

PKB executives will announce their stance in the face of the runoff sometime next week. Four major parties -- Golkar Party, the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) -- formed a coalition to support the incumbent, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, and her running mate Hasyim Muzadi on Aug. 19. Meanwhile, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) stand behind the Susilo-Kalla ticket.

Gus Dur decided to abstain after the General Elections Commission (KPU) barred him from contesting the presidential election. However, he endorsed the nomination of former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto and his running mate Solahuddin Wahid -- who is Gus Dur's brother -- and a coalition between Golkar and the PKB.

Wiranto was eliminated after receiving the third highest number of votes behind the Megawati-Hasyim ticket. However, on paper he should have made it to the runoff as Golkar and the PKB collectively received 36.4 million votes in the general election, whereas the PDI-P -- which Megawati leads -- received just over 21 million votes.

Susilo has met with Gus Dur, who is chief patron of the PKB, three times since the first round of the presidential election. The two also participated in a fun walk together last Sunday.

Saturday's meeting with Gus Dur caused Susilo to cancel his presence at a mass rally of his supporters at the Jakarta Fair ground.

Gus Dur also met with the President four times in the last month, the latest occasion being in Bali last Friday. However, Gus Dur denied his talks with Megawati were related to the presidential election.

Megawati replaced Gus Dur on July 21, 2001 after the latter was dismissed by the People's Consultative Assembly. The two were reunited only after three years of enmity.

Gus Dur's relationship with Susilo seems more relaxed. Although, as president, Gus Dur dismissed Susilo -- who was at that time chief security meeting -- for refusing to support the former's plan to declare a state of emergency in 2001.

Gus Dur was among the first national figures to meet with Susilo after the latter was dismissed as chief security minister by President Megawati in March of this year.

Meanwhile, Megawati's campaign team said on Saturday she would allocate 25 percent of seats in her future cabinet for professionals.

Member of Megawati's campaign team Heri Akhmadi said the remaining seats would be distributed among parties that supported her presidential bid.

"Professionals will fill positions related to law enforcement and the economy," Heri said.

Earlier, the team had revealed their nomination of law expert Achmad Ali, economists Mari Pangestu and Sri Mulyani and Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra for Megawati's next cabinet.