Jockeying for presidency up amid weekend tete-a-tetes

JAKARTA (JP): Muslim politician Amien Rais met with President B.J. Habibie on Sunday at the latter's residence in Kuningan, South Jakarta, with the former offering his "advice" on raging security and political concerns.

"We had dinner and I conveyed to Habibie several things that need urgent attention. (I reminded him) that we are racing against time here," Amien told The Jakarta Post.

Amien broached the subject of the ongoing violence in Aceh and Maluku and, to a lesser extent, in Irian Jaya where the public's restlessness held the potential to grow into full-fledged unrest.

Amien said they also spoke about the impending self- determination ballot in East Timor. "No matter what the outcome is, there will still be problems because the people will still be divided no matter how slim the margin is. This should be anticipated."

The chairman of the National Mandate Party who is also a presidential hopeful said he also spoke about Indonesians' eager anticipation of the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly and presidential election. "I gave Habibie a potent recipe (to ward off problems)," he said.

"From now on, political leaders such as Megawati (Soekarnoputri), Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid), Amien Rais, Hamzah Haz, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Nurmahmudi Ismail... should (talk) and hopefully will come up with the most acceptable formula."

Amien also advised Habibie to take a firm stance on corruption, including the scandal involving Bank Bali.

"I did not make any political commitment," Amien asserted. "I came as a friend."

Observers claim there are signs of an intensifying presidential race after Thursday's much-publicized meeting between Megawati Soekarnoputri and chief of the ruling Golkar Party Akbar Tandjung.

Megawati, whose Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) won 33.7 percent of the June 7 vote, is considered the presidential race front-runner. Her meeting with Akbar, who was instrumental in Golkar's nomination of Habibie for the next presidency, was interpreted by many as an overture between the two poll winners to counter Amien.

Akbar admitted to seeking to "cooperate" with and be led by Megawati, and has mocked Golkar as suffering from conflicts between reformists and nonreformist elements within its ranks.

Amien recently joined forces with a number of Islamic parties to push for an alternative presidential candidate. The new alliance, which Amien called the "axis force", is meant to accommodate who find both Habibie and Megawati unacceptable.

Although vowing to never forge an alliance with Golkar or support Habibie, Amien also said previously that he found it difficult to accept a Megawati presidency. He instead named Abdurrahman Wahid as the most suitable president.

Lobbying

Amien met with Akbar on Saturday in a discussion in Jakarta in which Akbar said the ruling party was still lobbying for support for Habibie from other political parties. "Up to the General Gession of the People's Consultative Assembly (when a presidential election is to be held), we would still try to 'sell' Habibie. If this fails, then Golkar would review (Habibie's nomination)."

Akbar admitted to lobbying Amien for support but that three meetings failed to produce results.

"I took him (Amien) for a dinner of mie Jawa (noodles), which we both like, and talked. (I asked him)' what do you want, let's just make a deal'... and still no answer," Akbar was quoted by Antara as saying.

"Golkar would never get an answer from me," Amien retorted.

Akbar said the leaders of the United Development Party (PPP), which was third in the polls, were divided over his "offer." "Some of them are willing to 'buy'," he said.

Akbar said he also approached Megawati for the same purpose.

"(Her party) also has to 'sell' its candidate, because even with the 154 seats (obtained in the House of Representatives), it would not win without the support of the other parties," Akbar said.

Backing

Political observer Ismail Sunny spoke favorably of the proposed alliance between Golkar and PDI Perjuangan, but considered it more a boost for Habibie than for Megawati.

Sunny, who is a state administrative law professor, said Habibie would win the presidency if PDI Perjuangan backed him. A "grand coalition" would then be formed, in which Habibie leads the country and Megawati chairs the highest law-making body, the MPR.

"If this is not possible, well, Megawati could be president and Habibie the MPR speaker," he said as quoted by Antara.

Other observers, including Hermawan Sulistyo of the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI), believed the overture between PDI Perjuangan and Golkar was "an early warning" for the axis force to stay put in its political maneuvering in order that a political compromise can be reached smoothly.

Hermawan said Akbar was the most moderate leader of Golkar and Megawati should take him up on his offer. "Otherwise, she would lose," he said as quoted by Antara.

Hermawan calculated the axis force could garner the support of 37 percent of the seats in the House, more than PDI Perjuangan or Golkar. (swe)