Mega, Gus Dur meet to discuss politics: But where is Akbar?

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.