It's the right time to balk at splitting the child

By Donna K. Woodward

MEDAN (JP): The Golkar Party's presidential candidate B.J. Habibie suffers from presidential paralysis, unable to execute the reform mandate the people gave him.

For the sake of vote-getting, PDI Perjuangan's Megawati Soekarnoputri has allied herself with the man who stood by passively while his subordinates terrorized and murdered the people that he and they -- and she too, if she becomes president -- are sworn to protect.

Abdurrahman Wahid of the National Awakening Party (PKB) has changed his spots so often that he may soon be eligible for protection as an endangered species rather than for the presidency. Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN) was unable to capture the people's confidence, and thus has failed the threshold test for a national political leader. PPP's Hamzah Haz is a pro-forma candidate.

Is this a stalemate for reformasi, the end of hope? Must the country sacrifice the considerable progress toward reform it has made since May 1998 by reverting to a business-as-usual government? If this happens, Indonesia may remain in a transitional, unstable mode for years longer. Could Indonesia survive this? Are there options?

In a matter of weeks the 700 delegates of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) will cast their votes for a presidential candidate from one of the five eligible parties. None of the candidates commands enough votes from his or her party alone to be elected. Among themselves the party leaders have yet to form a coalition that would garner the needed votes without betraying their constituencies. Among the party leaders there must be a compromise of self-interest for the greater national good.

Someone must step aside in favor of another. Like the mothers brought before King Solomon, someone must sacrifice possession of what is most treasured, and refuse to have the child split in two. Who will yield to whom? It seems most unlikely that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) would yield, given their voting strength and their oft-repeated but mistaken notion that their winning of a plurality of votes in the general election automatically guarantees them the presidency. But other parties might. A suggestion follows.

There is nothing in the election rules to prohibit the parties from offering presidential candidates to the MPR who are different from those originally proposed, though such a move might disappoint voters who backed a particular party on the basis of their presumptive presidential candidate. So far, Golkar is the only party considering such a move.

In place of Mr. Habibie or Akbar Tandjung, let Golkar put forward its vice chairman, Marzuki Darusman. Marzuki has shown his integrity, independence and capability as chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights. He has credibility as a reform-oriented public figure. If Golkar is to replace Habibie with a more acceptable candidate, and soon they may have no choice, there would seem to be no one who fits the bill better than Marzuki Darusman. He has alienated some Golkar members, but he remained loyal when others abandoned the party.

Marzuki stayed, convinced that there was hope for Golkar to become a credible force for reform. By working consistently toward this goal he has been a credit to Golkar. Now Marzuki might be Golkar's best hope. And a Golkar reform candidate, with its large share of MPR votes, might be the nation's best option.

With the support of PPP, PKB, PAN and the smaller parties, and with a credible candidate like Marzuki, Golkar can prevail without the military faction votes. Will Golkar's back-room brokers swallow their pride to work with Marzuki and disinvite the military from their festival of democracy?

Will PDI Perjuangan cooperate? Marzuki with Megawati as his vice president would give Indonesia a strong leadership team. And Megawati may see that she has a far more important role to play as an effective vice president to a genuine reformer than she could ever play as a puppet president with a backstage cadre of PDI Perjuangan opportunists.

Do Indonesia's party leaders appreciate how important it is at this time in Indonesia's history for a president to come to power without indebtedness to a run-amok military?

If so, they will surely consider setting aside their personal and political differences to form a winning coalition that does not need the military votes. Surely someone from among the would- be presidents is willing to entrust the presidency to another's hands, rather than see Indonesia torn apart.