Hamzah elected new VP

Hamzah elected new VP

JAKARTA (JP): Hamzah Haz was elected the country's ninth vice
president on Thursday, bringing with him renewed hope for peace
with a call for political parties to come together to support
President Megawati Soekarnoputri's government.

Speaking before a plenary session of the People's Consultative
Assembly, Hamzah said harmonious cooperation between major
political parties was needed to help the nation emerge from its
prolonged crisis.

"With a national reconciliation, the nation is expected to be
able to overcome the multidimensional crisis," he said in his
address.

Quoting a statement from Megawati's inaugural address on
Monday, Hamzah said discipline, a favorable political climate and
cooperation among all components of society were prerequisites to
defusing the political and economic turmoil that has plagued the
country for the past three years.

He also pledged to help the President develop an effective
government and carry out development programs, especially in the
areas of the economy and law enforcement.

"I will help the President run the government, implement the
State Policy Guidelines and create a favorable situation for (the
guidelines) to materialize, and bolster cooperation with all
ministers under Megawati's leadership," he said.

Hamzah was among those who, during the 1999 presidential
election, opposed a female president leading the predominantly
Muslim country. But with the full support of Megawati's
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), he
garnered a simple majority of votes in the third round of the
vice presidential ballot.

Hamzah received 340 of 610 votes to beat Akbar Tandjung of the
Golkar Party, who received 237 votes. There were 29 abstentions
and four invalid ballots.

Hamzah's win was attributed to votes from the PDI Perjuangan
faction, the Reform faction, interest group representatives and
the Indonesian Military/National Police faction in the final
ballot on Thursday.

Akbar picked up some support from those who had backed the
three candidates -- Agum Gumelar, Siswono Yudhohusodo and Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono -- who lost in the two previous rounds of the
ballot on Wednesday.

Alimarwan Hanan, the secretary-general of PPP, said the Axis
Force, a grouping of Muslim parties, and a section of the
interest group representatives and the Indonesian
Military/National Police faction cast their votes for Hamzah.

Sophan Sophiaan, the chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction,
said his party had consistently supported Hamzah.

"It's a wise policy to help reduce the public's resistance to
Megawati's government to a minimum," he said.

Hamzah was born in 1940 in West Kalimantan. He is married to
two wives and has 12 children. He embarked on a political career
when he was elected as a legislator representing the Nadhlatul
Ulama, the country's largest Muslim organization. He won the PPP
top job in 1998 before being appointed the state minister of
investment under former president B.J. Habibie.

Hamzah rejoined the Cabinet as the coordinating minister for
social affairs and poverty eradication under president
Abdurrahman Wahid, albeit only for several months.

Following his swearing-in on Thursday, Hamzah, along with the
President, held a reception at the vice presidential office.
Attending the event were several outgoing ministers and top
military officers.

Akbar said he accepted his defeat in the vice presidential
election, which he regarded as very democratic. He also pledged
to support Megawati and Hamzah.

"We all witnessed the ballot proceed fairly and transparently,
and the Assembly held it in the spirit of a family. For Golkar,
this is the best decision the Assembly has made during the
Special Session," he said after the closing ceremony of the
Special Session.

He admitted he was disappointed that PDI Perjuangan did not
consider him the right person for the vice presidency.

Akbar said his party was prepared to cooperate with the
government to help overcome all of the major problems facing the
nation, and to carry out the national development program to
improve the public's welfare.

He called on Megawati to avoid the errors committed by
Abdurrahman if she wished to keep her government safe until her
term ends in 2004.

Agum, the outgoing coordinating minister for political, social
and security affairs, hailed the Vice President's call for a
national reconciliation.

"First of all, all sides must accept all political decisions
made during the Special Session, and the political elite should
work hand in hand to support the new government. More political
maneuvering to disturb or topple the government will only cause
the public to suffer," he said. (rms/dja)