Megawati-Kalla suggested as pairing

Megawati-Kalla suggested as pairing

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As the election draws near, talks are loomi ng on a possible
pairing between the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-
P) chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri and senior Golkar Party
member Jusuf Kalla in the coming presidential election.

Influential PDI-P member Taufik Kiemas dropped a hint on
Sunday on the likely partnership, dubbed the most ideal by many.
The duo of Megawati and Kalla would represent both Java and the
islands outside Java.

"A coalition with Golkar doesn't mean (a coalition) with its
chairman Akbar Tandjung. We will build up cooperation with the
party's leaders, who also represent the NU," Taufik said, without
mentioning any names.

Kalla, who is the coordinating minister for people's welfare,
was raised in an NU environment. As a senior minister, Kalla has
also had an excellent relationship with Megawati during her
three-year term.

Separately, Kalla said during a rally in the South Kalimantan
capital of Banjarmasin that he was only willing to contest the
vice presidency.

"I am ready only to be the vice president as I am not Javanese
and many polls say I would be a good vice president," he said as
quoted by Antara.

Taufik, who is also Megawati's husband, has repeatedly
mentioned a possible coalition between the two nationalist
parties, which garnered 55 percent of the House of
Representatives seats between them in 1999.

A partnership between Megawati and Akbar is seen as
undesirable among a faction within the PDI-P, particularly due to
Akbar's image as being part of the New Order.

PDI-P deputy chairman Roy B.B. Janis said on Sunday that the
decision to form a coalition with Golkar would need the approval
of PDI-P supporters.

"It will be impossible to form such a coalition, and I am
almost certain that 99.9 percent of PDI-P supporters will reject
such a coalition (with Akbar)," Roy said.

Akbar is facing a fresh law suit filed by a self-confessed
middleman who claimed that Akbar had broken his promise to pay
him Rp 1 billion for information on a Rp 40 billion graft case
against Akbar in 2002.