Gus Dur heads race for MPR top job

Gus Dur heads race for MPR top job

JAKARTA (JP): Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid was tipped by
major parties on Friday to take the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) speaker post.

Zarkasih Nur of the United Development Party (PPP) said after
the swearing in ceremony of MPR members that Muslim-based parties
grouped in the "axis force" had given a green light to the
nomination of Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur.

"We basically agree to nominate Gus Dur as MPR speaker,
although we also name Akbar Tandjung as an alternative," Zarkasih
said.

Akbar is the chairman of Golkar Party, who, Zarkasih said, was
also nominated for the House of Representatives (DPR) speaker.

If elected, Abdurrahman will become only the second Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) figure and non-Golkar functionary to lead the
country's highest law-making body after Idham Chalid, who served
between 1972 and 1977.

Abdurrahman was appointed to the Assembly as the
representative of NU, the country's largest Muslim organization,
which he chairs.

The rise of 59-year-old Abdurrahman to the top job at the
Assembly, however, will mean an end to his bid for presidency.

Although he was nominated for the next president by National
Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais, who claims to represent
the axis force, the controversial Muslim clergyman repeatedly
said he chose Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri for presidency.

PDI Perjuangan, the winner of the June elections, has also
picked Abdurrahman as its candidate for the MPR speaker position.
It also named National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Matori
Abdul Djalil as an alternative.

Amien unveiled a power-sharing agreement in August between
proreform figureheads, also known as the Ciganjur Group, which
gave Abdurrahman the nomination for the MPR speaker post.

The Golkar Party has named former coordinating minister for
economy, finance and industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita as their
candidate for the MPR top job, party deputy chairman Slamet
Effendy Yusuf said.

All parties which are represented at the Assembly have agreed
to split the MPR and DPR leadership in a bid to make a break with
the past and empower the MPR as the highest state institution.

The Assembly comprises 700 members, of which 500 are House
legislators.

According to the 1945 Constitution, MPR members convene at
least once during their five-year terms to elect a president and
draw up state policy guidelines. (amd/byg)