Gus Dur's candidature boosts 'axis force's' chances: Amien
Gus Dur's candidature boosts 'axis force's' chances: Amien
JAKARTA (JP): Amien Rais praised Abdurrahman Wahid for the
latter's willingness to be presidential candidate of the new
political alliance that Amien forged, called "the axis force,"
and said the assent was a boost to democratization.
Amien, the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said
in Surakarta, Central Java, that Abdurrahman's willingness would
further strengthen the new alliance which so far grouped eight
Islamic political parties. He said he envisioned a "political
triangle" in the future which involved the axis force, the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and
Golkar.
Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, is the presidential
candidate of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and chairman of
Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organization in the country,
which claims the support of 37 million followers.
Amien said Abdurrahman would serve as a fresh alternative in
the next presidential election, adding to the existing front-
runners, namely PDI Perjuangan leader Megawati Soekarnoputri and
Golkar's B.J. Habibie.
"The nomination would give stronger support for the axis
force," Amien said of the alliance. The alliance was meant in the
beginning to offset stiff competition between Megawati and
Habibie, which were polarizing people, he said.
Among supporters of the new alliance were United Development
Party (PPP), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), PAN, the Justice
Party (PK) and the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU).
"With the support of PAN, PKB and other Muslim-based parties,
I believe that the axis force will be a true power," said Amien,
who first announced the alliance's support for Abdurrahman.
Amien noted, however, that the opportunity to talk with other
winning parties on the matter was wide open. He justified his
intention to include Golkar -- despite having repeatedly attacked
the ruling party previously -- on the grounds that "there were
also 'white Golkar', namely those who are proreform".
Amien, a former chairman of Muhammadiyah, the second largest
Muslim organization in the country, conceded the new alliance was
established due to Megawati's slowness in responding to various
political problems.
Megawati's party won first place in the June 7 poll, grabbing
33.7 percent of the vote.
"We (the axis force) and Abdurrahman find it impossible to
accept the political uncertainties because Megawati was so tight-
lipped about everything. We have to be creative and move
forward," Amien said.
Negotiation
Separately, political observer Pratikno from the Gadjah Mada
University said in Yogyakarta on Monday that Abdurrahman's
willingness was a boon not only to the axis force but would also
make Megawati open negotiations with the group.
"Abdurrahman's willingness would strengthen the unity of
proreform forces who all this time were divided into nationalist-
secularist as represented by PDI Perjuangan and the Islamic
forces," Pratikno said.
Political observer Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia
agreed, and said that Megawati now must first embrace the new
alliance if she still wanted to become president.
"Her chance at the next presidency hinges at whether she can
cooperate with other parties," Arbi said on Saturday in the
Central Java capital of Semarang. "Without the support of the
other parties, it would be unlikely for her to garner 351 votes
in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) during the
presidential election."
Arbi said Megawati was too slow in approaching the other
parties, so much so that they now believed she did not want them
and preferred the company of other forces.
Besides, "by cooperating with the axis force, her image as
anti-Islam can be erased," Arbi said.
Pratikno said Abdurrahman's presence in the axis force would
reduce the possibility of Habibie gaining its support.
PPP said it would support Habibie.
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said, however, Abdurrahman's
acquiescence to the axis force's nomination was not yet an
official process.
"The official procedure will only begin in the next MPR
meeting," Akbar said during a family visit in Surakarta on
Sunday.
A presidential candidate must have extensive capability,
experience and be acceptable, he said.
Meanwhile, chairman of the PKB branch in Central Java, Noer
Iskandar Albarsany, said his party had yet to declare whether it
would support Abdurrahman's willingness to be named presidential
candidate of the axis force.
"PKB has yet to declare its stance on the matter. We will hold
a leadership meeting on Saturday in Jakarta and decide later,"
Noer said in Semarang on Monday.
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, a group of Habibie's
supporters said they would send 7,000 activists to Jakarta to
safeguard the General Session of the MPR where a new president
would be elected.
G. Mada, spokesman of the Indonesian Muslim Students
Solidarity Forum, said they were only responding to threats from
Megawati's supporters that they would occupy the House of
Representatives building in order to ensure that Megawati was
elected president.
"We are ready to go, too, if Megawati's supporters carry out
their threat," Mada said. "The threat smacks of intimidation
which hoodlums usually use."
"How would the people's representatives carry out their duties
if they are under intimidation?"
"Do they think they're the only ones who can spill blood using
pin pricks?" Mada said in reference to Megawati's supporters who
conveyed support for her after collecting bloodied thumbprints.
"We, too, can spill blood with our machetes." (27/44/edt/har/swe)