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)