Hamzah's win gets mixed reaction

JAKARTA (JP): People in the capital had mixed reactions to the election of Hamzah Haz, chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), as the country's new vice president on Thursday.

Many residents of Tanah Abang, where many Betawi (native Jakartan) people live, carried PPP's green flag and shouted "Hamzah! Hamzah!" as they were driven around the area in pickups.

Tanah Abang is one of the party's strongholds in the capital.

The residents also bursts firecrackers on the side of a street near the Tanah Abang flyover.

The residents here believe President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz will be a dynamic duo.

Other residents in the capital felt differently about Hamzah's victory. "I'm sure they suit each other. I think they will be able to cooperate well and improve this country," said Rahmat.

Hamzah received 340 votes in the vice presidential elections held by the People's Consultative Assembly, defeating Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung.

"I voted for Hamzah because he's a member of the NU," Ardi, a taxi driver said, referring to the country's largest Muslim organization, which was once chaired by former president Abdurrahman Wahid.

Other residents said, while admitting they knew little about Hamzah, they rather have Hamzah as vice president than Akbar, as the latter chaired the Golkar Party, the former ruling party of former president Soeharto.

Esti, an employee at a foreign insurance company, said she would have liked former coordinating minister for political, social and security affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as vice president.

"He seems to have this firm attitude," she said.

Agus, a manager of a private company, was also in favor of Susilo, who lost in Wednesday night's second round of voting.

But both Esti and Agus preferred Hamzah to Akbar as they feared the latter would bring a return of Soeharto's New Order era.

"Well, I think Hamzah and Megawati will make a good team. Megawati is a nationalist while Hamzah is more religiously inclined," Agus said.

Most people, however, said it did not matter who the vice president or even the president was.

"I don't care who leads this country. What is important is they make this country a better and safer place. Prices of commodities should not go up anymore and I should be able to send my children to school," said Bambang, a public minivan driver. (hdn)