Megawati backed to be President

Megawati backed to be President

JAKARTA (JP): Political support for Megawati Soekarnoputri to
become president crystallized here on Friday as leading figures
from the Muslim parties, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) met to smooth the way for her
possible accession.

It is unclear whether a political deal was struck at the
meeting which was also attended by Vice President Megawati's
husband, Taufik Kiemas, but later on it became clear that the
likelihood of a possible Megawati presidency was on the
participants' minds.

"I guess the people of this nation should mentally prepare
themselves to face another change of national leadership,"
National Mandate Party chairman Amien Rais said after the
meeting.

Amien, who is also speaker of the People's Consultative
Assembly, refused to elaborate further saying only that there was
an "unspoken conclusion" at the meeting that if a change of
leadership were to take place, it should be conducted in a
prudent and constitutional manner.

Others attending the 1.5-hour meeting included Pramono Anung
and Sophan Sophiaan of PDI-Perjuangan, Hatta Rajasa of PAN, Ade
Komaruddin and Mahadi Sinambela of the Golkar Party, Justice
Party chairman Hidayat Nurwahid, United Development Party (PPP)
chairman Hamzah Haz and secretary general Ali Marwan Hanan, and
M.S. Ka'ban, Sahal S. Hasan and Eggi Sudjana of the Crescent and
Star Party (PBB).

Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung was with the group during
Friday prayers but afterwards left to attend another engagement.

This latest meeting was the second time these politicians have
met together. Last week they also gathered to attend Friday
prayers, but did not hold discussions afterwards.

No one would go into the details of the latest meeting which
they described as a brotherly gathering, however hints as to its
purport were abundant.

A major breakthrough at the meeting was the apparent
overcoming of the most significant objection expressed by the
Islamic parties after Megawati's presidential nomination in 1999:
that fact that she was a woman.

"Muslim people would never have a problem with a female
leader, particularly if she were Muslim too," Justice Party
chairman Hidayat Nurwahid.

"Since Mega is a true Moslem, we do not see any problem in
supporting her to replace Gus Dur," Hidayat said referring to
President Abdurrahman Wahid by his nickname.

PPP's Ali Marwan argued that their past resistance to Megawati
during the presidential election in October 1999 was solely due
to the intense competition at the time.

Prior to Friday prayers, Amien Rais further cozied up to PDI
Perjuangan, saying that the nationalist parties were also
religious.

Hidayat, however, also stressed that the meeting was not aimed
at toppling Abdurrahman and had not ended in an agreement to
support a particular successor to him.

"It was only a gathering to share ideas in order to give this
nation hope," Hidayat said.

Hamzah Haz, nevertheless, asserted that if Abdurrahman were to
resign, PPP would support Megawati.

When pressed whether these parties would eventually withdraw
their support from Megawati, like they did with Abdurrahman,
Hamzah said the (Muslim) parties agreed not to repeat "the bad
experience".

"Rather than garnering political support, Gus Dur has
ostracized his supporters...I suggest Megawati establish a
political power base by involving every political element, in
contrast to Gus Dur who failed to do so," Hamzah remarked.

Separately, criticism of Abdurrahman continued to further
undermine his beleaguered presidency.

Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid said Abdurrahman could
never become a "great president" since he only possessed
"charisma and good luck."

Leaders also needed vision, commitment, and the ability to
implement their vision and build a consensus among the people.

Akbar Tandjung warned that since there had been no improvement
in the government's performance, the possibility of a second
memorandum "is wide open" despite the fact Abdurahhman still has
nearly two months to reply to the first memorandum.

The National Awakening Party (PKB), clearly ruffled by the
Friday meeting, issued a statement later in the afternoon which
suggested that the recent developments were tantamount to
initiating a constitutional coup.

Separately in Semarang, political observer from Diponegoro
University, Tri Cahyo Utomo, said that Megawati's recent
statement that her support for the President was based solely on
the exigencies of her office, was a warning for Abdurrahman to
improve his performance.

Another political observer, Fitriyah said Megawati's statement
showed that Abdurrahman had lost his legitimacy.

"The political impact of her statement is that the memorandum
of censure process will continue," she remarked. (dja/har/02)