Mega wants coalition partner for 1st round knockout victory

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri dropped a very clear hint on Thursday of her intention to get ever more chummy with Golkar Party leader Akbar Tandjung, as her running mate, in the presidential election.

Megawati's aide Pramono Anung Wibowo said the she was eying a quick finish of the election and therefore she would need a running mate who could ensure a landslide win and thus no runoff election.

"Ibu is still contemplating her possible running mate, but she said she would like to secure the presidency in the first round of election," Pramono said after a weekly party meeting led by Megawati.

He added that Megawati would only take on a running mate who could satisfy the wishes of her constituents.

The landmark direct presidential election will take place on July 5, but only parties that get 3 percent of the total number of votes in the April 5 legislative election are eligible to nominate candidates.

The runoff vote would be on Sept. 20 unless one candidate wins over 50 percent in the first round.

Shortly after the Supreme Court overturned his corruption conviction, Akbar fueled a discourse on his possibility to become Megawati's running mate, much to the chagrin, however, of his Golkar colleagues.

On Wednesday, Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas said Akbar, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi and Vice President Hamzah Haz, who chairs the United Development Party (PPP), also could fit the criteria for Megawati's running mate.

Pramono admitted those names were on Megawati's list of potential running mates, but she was waiting for more input and opinions from the party members.

In the 1999 election, Golkar finished second after PDI-P, with PPP third. Hasyim, meanwhile, leads an organization that claims 40 million of supporters, which is nominally affiliated with the National Awakening Party (PKP), which finished fourth in the 1999 election.

Some PDI-P leaders have stated that Hasyim was the right person to help Megawati retain her presidency.

Pramono said, however, that Megawati had asked her party to concentrate more on the legislative election, slated for April 5, before further discussions on the possible coalition for the presidential election.

"We can only make a coalition after we know the results of the legislative election," he said.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) said it would be able to announce the final results of the legislative election by the end of April and name all eligible presidential candidates on May 19.