Mega, Gus Dur meet to discuss politics: But where is Akbar?
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Two former presidents, Megawati Soekarnoputri and her predecessor Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid held a meeting for the first time since the Sept. 20 presidential election to discuss political issues in the country, albeit in a casual way.
Former House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung was scheduled to join the gathering hosted by Megawati at her private residence on Jl. Kebagusan in South Jakarta. But at 10 p.m. on Thursday he was still in Medan, North Sumatra, on party business, an aide said.
Akbar has been busy traveling across the country canvassing support ahead of the annual Golkar Party Congress in Bali in less than two weeks, when his job as party leader will likely go up for grabs.
Leaders of Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (Megawati) and the National Awakening Party (Gus Dur), the three represent the main opposition bloc in the House of Representatives. They are also the three most-popular political leaders without military backgrounds.
Gus Dur jokingly dubbed the three "GAM", after their first initials. GAM is also the name of the Free Aceh Movement, armed rebels who have fought the Indonesian Military for independence since 1976.
During the meeting, which lasted almost two hours. Megawati and Gus Dur pledged to maintain the pluralistic nature of the nation.
Gus Dur, accompanied by Binky Irawan, who chairs Chinese- Indonesian association Matakkin, arrived at Megawati's house at 8:50 p.m, before the two had dinner.
Megawati served Central Javanese cuisine soto bangkong (a traditional curry soup) and pecel ayam (fried chicken served with peanut sauce).
They also shared a light moment, talking about their grand children. During the conversation, Gus Dur intentionally called Megawati Ibu President.
After one and a-half hours of discussion, they talked to Akbar over the telephone, informing the Golkar chairman of the key points of discussion.
Megawati, who partnered Hasyim Muzadi, lost in the presidential election to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and running mate Jusuf Kalla, despite support from Golkar. Gus Dur opted to snub the election in protest of his disqualification as a presidential candidate due to his health, but asked the PKB to stay neutral.
Some PKB leaders openly threw in their support for Susilo, who eventually named two of PKB executives, Alwi Shihab and Syaifullah Yusuf, Cabinet ministers.
Golkar, the PDI-P and the PKB spearheaded an opposition group in the House and were involved in a recent stand-off with Susilo over the issue of TNI's chief replacement.