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.