Mega seeks support for run-off

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta

Trailing behind her former coordinating minister for political and security affairs in both the July 5 election and opinion polls, Megawati Soekarnoputri is now intensifying political lobbying to win the Sept. 20 runoff election.

Megawati met with Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz at the latter's private residence in Tegalan, East Jakarta, on Tuesday, a day after the General Elections Commission (KPU) officially announced that she and running mate Hasyim Muzadi would face election front-runners Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla in the second round.

The incumbent, who arrived at Hamzah's residence at around 7:45 p.m., was accompanied by deputy secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Pramono Anung, while Hamzah was accompanied by party secretary-general Ali Marwan Hanan. Megawati's husband, Taufik Kiemas, arrived at the meeting late.

"Pak Hamzah told us that some provincial leaders are giving support to Ibu Mega," Pramono said after the meeting, which lasted for more than an hour.

Ali Marwan Hanan, meanwhile, said leaders of some provincial party branches had explicitly thrown their support behind Megawati.

Hamzah is expected to announce his party's stance after its two-day leadership meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Also on Tuesday, Megawati met with Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid at his residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. Megawati, who was accompanied by Taufik Kiemas, arrived at Gus Dur's residence at around 9:45 p.m.

Adhi Massardi, former presidential spokesman, said the two leaders only shared jokes at the meeting, which lasted for more than an hour.

"The two leaders talked about the future of the country ... but there was no discussion on political support," said Adhi, stressing that the meeting was a return visit by Megawati.

"Pak Taufik and Ibu Mega now feel relieved because (the meeting) eases long-standing tensions between the two proreform leaders," Adhi said.

Gus Dur was a close confidante of Megawati until 2001 when the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) impeached the former for incompetence and installed Megawati as the country's fifth president.

Megawati is also scheduled to meet with other political leaders, including Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung and National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais sometime this week.

The PDI-P chairperson, who is seeking a full five-year term, is in dire need of forging a coalition with other parties to boost her chances in the runoff election.

Megawati and Hasyim Muzadi garnered only 26.6 percent of some 118 million valid votes in the July 5 election, compared with election front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's 33.57 percent.

Recent surveys by the Institute of Economic and Social Studies and Development (LP3ES) and the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) have suggested that the incumbent would get only 22 percent of the vote in the September election, while Susilo, who was also Megawati's former coordinating minister for political and security affairs, would garner 68 percent.