Megawati accepts terms for coalition with Hamzah
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.