Megawati accepts terms for coalition with Hamzah

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has accepted three conditions set by Vice President Hamzah Haz for another coalition in the coming presidential election.

However, Hamzah said, after a meeting with Megawati at her official residence on Wednesday, the decision on whether to select him as her running mate rested with her.

"Ibu (President) has accepted the conditions," Hamzah said after the talks, which lasted about an hour.

He said that with her acceptance, Megawati would agree to strengthen the religious life of the country, give him clear responsibilities as vice president and involve him in the formation of the Cabinet.

Megawati and Hamzah forged an unprecedented coalition of nationalist and Muslim parties when she ordered her party faction in the People's Consultative Assembly to support Hamzah's vice presidential bid back in 2001.

On Tuesday the PDI-P said it had narrowed its choices to Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi and Hamzah, whose United Development Party (PPP) looks certain to rank after the Golkar Party, Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) in the legislative election.

Hamzah said he told Megawati during their meeting to feel free to choose her partner.

"There is no problem between me and Ibu (President). Whether she chooses Pak Hasyim Muzadi or me, it's no big deal," Hamzah said.

PDI-P is also competing with Golkar for Hasyim, the leader of the 40 million-strong NU, the country's largest Muslim organization.

Separately, Golkar presidential candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto said he was still expecting a nod from Hasyim, despite a surprising challenge from former NU chairman and PKB cofounder Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.

"Gus Dur refused to endorse Hasyim as he is a presidential candidate like me, but the vice presidential candidate is a different matter," Wiranto said after undergoing a mandatory medical check at Gatot Subroto Army Hospital.

Wiranto was the first presidential candidate to undergo a health examination, as required by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

PKB deputy chairman Mahfud MD clarified an earlier statement of Gus Dur regarding Hasyim's vice presidential bid, saying his remarks did not represent the party's stance.

"The PKB has no right to reject or accept (the nomination of Hasyim as a vice presidential candidate). It's more appropriate to say that we will let him run. But Gus Dur is ready to compete with anyone," Mahfud told a media conference.

Mahfud also said his party was short-listing three choices for vice presidential candidate, all of whom were civilians and none PKB members.

In the Central Java capital, Semarang, presidential candidate of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais indicated he would pick Siswono Yudohusodo as his running mate.

"Your speculation on whether I might choose Pak Siswono may be right, may be not," he said, but added that he had chosen a civilian partner.