Gus Dur's support weaker after MPR meeting: Expert

JAKARTA (JP): Support for President Abdurrahman Wahid in the House of Representatives will be severely reduced -- to as little as 11 percent of its legislators -- after the meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) next week, a noted political analyst said on Friday.

"This is certainly not enough for Abdurrahman to continue his leadership, because no leader can survive in power with such minority support," Andi Malarangeng said during a business luncheon organized by the Indonesia-Australia Business Council at Kempinski Hotel.

The President's support at the House will essentially be reduced to that from his own faction, the National Awakening Party (PKB), said Andi, who is also senior advisor to the coordinating minister of political affairs.

While the President will survive the grilling at the MPR meeting next week, his political position will be highly vulnerable afterwards, he said.

Abdurrahman will have to lobby other major political parties to regain their support, reshuffle his economic team, win back public trust and eliminate elements of uncertainty about his leadership, Andi said.

He proposed another meeting involving Abdurrahman, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, MPR chairman Amin Rais and House of Representative's Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

The four leaders met in Yogyakarta on Tuesday and pledged to unite to resolve Indonesia's various problems.

Andi said Abdurrahman could spring a surprise and overcome the problems, just as he sprang a surprise by winning the presidential election in October.

He said, however, that Abdurrahman should step down from office if he felt that he could not resolve them. (01)