Mega ready for direct presidential election

Mega ready for direct presidential election

I Wayan Junartha, The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali

Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said on Wednesday
evening that she was ready to contest a direct presidential
election in 2004 and that her party would support all the
constitutional amendments for that process.

Opening the fourth PDI Perjuangan national congress here,
Megawati warned that if the nation wanted to see direct
presidential elections implemented in 2004, all related
regulations must be prepared soon.

And most of all, the people must be made ready for it, she
said.

"If we agree to do so, we must immediately complete all
relevant laws and legislation on this matter, and publicize it.

"Thus, the change of the election system would not result in
prolonged tension among the general public," she said.

PDI Perjuangan has reportedly been active in slowing down the
amendment process, especially on articles related to the direct
presidential election.

Nevertheless, the party recently backed down from its earlier
stance that the People's Consultative Assembly must elect the
president and vice president if no presidential and vice
presidential candidates win a simple majority vote.

After a series of meetings with the former ruling Golkar
Party, PDI Perjuangan surprisingly agreed that the people would
vote in the second round of the next presidential election, which
takes place if no candidates win a majority vote in the first
round.

Megawati said on Wednesday that the party's main mission in
the upcoming MPR's Annual Session in August was to make sure that
the amendment process would not end in a deadlock.

"Since we are the biggest faction at the Assembly, a bigger
responsibility lies with us to complete the amendment process so
the deliberation will not end in a deadlock," Megawati told the
participants.

According to the meeting's organizing committee chairman I
Gusti Ngurah Sara, the three-day meeting will be see some 150
representatives of the party's central board and 30 provincial
executive boards participate.

The meeting will discuss the party's preparedness for the
upcoming Annual Session and the 2004 general election, such as
the party's political stance on a direct presidential election
and on bills on general elections and political parties.

In her speech, Megawati also stressed the importance of
reaching an agreement on the amendment issue through consensus-
oriented deliberation among all legislators.

"It does not mean that I prohibit the use of other decision
making methods, but wouldn't it be elegant if all the Assembly's
members could, with good intentions and a sincere heart,
deliberate and find a solution for the sake of this state and
nation," she said.

Several political figures attended the opening ceremony. They
included Akbar Tandjung from the Golkar party, Hatta Radjasa from
the National Mandate Party (PAN), and Syaefullah Yusuf of the
National Awakening Party (PKB).

Also present were scores of ministers, including Defense
Minister Matori Abdul Jalil, who was wearing a small PKB pin.

The audience erupted in laughter when Megawati formally
acknowledged the presence of Akbar Tandjung and Hatta Rajasa. She
also announced the presence of Syaefullah Yusuf as the official
representative of PKB, and even fondly referred to him as a
former PDI Perjuangan member.

Megawati then looked at Matori, and smilingly introduced him
as the representative of the Cabinet.

Yusuf and Matori are the members of two rival PKB camps, each
claiming to be the true PKB.