MPR members must be free to elect president
By Asip Agus Hasani
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Misunderstandings about the nature of a multi-party system have led to the current "unhealthy" trend in national politics, says Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).
On Saturday, Amien, a former lecturer of politics at Gadjah Mada University here, was one of the leading politicians who gathered at the Muhammadiyah organization's Jakarta office to discuss a predicted deadlock in the presidential election. Predictions of an impasse have been fueled by increasing polarization between those supporting current front-runner in the polls Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), and the Golkar Party's candidate, incumbent President B.J. Habibie.
Amien, the former chairman of Muhammadiyah, met with Abdurrahman Wahid, also known as Gus Dur, Nahdlatul Ulama chairman and founder of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Nur Mahmudi Ismail who chairs the Justice Party (PK) and Hamzah Haz, chairman of the United Development Party (PPP).
PAN has denied the politicians agreed that Islam bars women from leading the country.
To throw more light on Saturday's meeting, Amien talked to The Jakarta Post on Monday at his house in Yogyakarta. Following are excerpts from the interview:
Question: What was the background of the meeting involving NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid?
Answer: Recently I've observed a national political trend which is rather unhealthy, namely a misunderstanding regarding democracy. To be precise, this is a misperception regarding the multi-party system which requires that any party must have at least 51 percent of the vote through a coalition or any other way.
Parties which fail to gain 51 percent of the vote in the elections must strive to build a coalition to obtain that 51 percent share.
A party called "A" which obtains 40 percent must still work hard to build a coalition with another party ... only with 51 percent (backing) is a party eligible to form a government. (This requirement) would apply to PDI Perjuangan which might get about 35 percent; with that it could not claim to win the polls based on a majority.
It is true that PDI Perjuangan has (obtained) the highest vote... but don't wipe out the other parties which obtained the rest of the vote.
If this issue is clear, I hope my friends from PDI Perjuangan will no longer claim that Megawati must be president for winning the polls with 35 percent of the vote. ... there have been more serious expressions such as "Indonesia will fall apart if Megawati does not become president". From (President B.J.) Habibie's side I have heard that if Habibie fails to be reelected, "those from outside Java will run amok."
I observe an increasing (rift) between the two camps.
So when Gus Dur came to the Muhammadiyah office for a visit we discussed ways to reduce deterioration of this political process. An attitude of "winners take all" would be a very negative process in our growing democracy.
I am thinking that parties which contested the elections should be given as many opportunities as possible to build a majority in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR -- members of which will vote in the November presidential elections).
And there are two things to remember: (the presence of) first, hooliganism meaning the involvement of terror, bluff and intimidation of MPR members which contributes to the inability of members to consider the people's interest.
Second, money politics or bribes must be avoided so that our representatives will not bow to the money owners....
If the General Session of the MPR can run without pressure, terror, or bribes, I am convinced that the best child of the nation will be elected as president.
Q: Observers have said that given a possible deadlock, PAN and the military may be influential in the presidential election. With which party would PAN coalesce, would it be with PDI Perjuangan?
A: Until now PDI Perjuangan has never requested forming a coalition with PAN. And PAN would never coalesce with PDI Perjuangan or with Golkar because they have both become extreme. No way....(Amien earlier said PAN would only form a coalition with PDI Perjuangan with certain preconditions.)
Q: What do you mean by "extreme"?
A: Because both won't amend the 1945 Constitution (which a PDI executive has denied); they won't revoke the dual function of the military and they won't bring Soeharto to trial. That's not convenient is it? So what would be more likely is a coalition between PDI Perjuangan and Golkar because of their similarities. That's okay, we'll just see.
Q: In the Saturday meeting an alternative presidential candidate was mentioned apart from Megawati and Habibie. Who was that?
A: No such thing happened.
Q: How do you feel toward Megawati, who as a presidential candidate has faced rejection from several Muslims?
A: I do not reject Megawati. But it (nominating her as candidate) should happen in a democratic way in the absence of claims that she must become president. (Such claims) would not be democratic because things are still in the process of (being worked through.)
The elections were only to choose legislators, not a president. If one rejects such a process one would be better off not claiming to be a democrat.
Q: Do you agree with the current process, to first have an election and then let the MPR General Session pick the president?
A: That's the way it should be... in a multi-party system. If there were only two parties, the winning party, even if it had won by a margin of only 0.5 percent, would be the one to govern.
Q: How do you think the next presidential election should be run?
A: I agree with the suggestion of Gadjah Mada University rector Ichlasul Amal (also a political lecturer), that the presidential election should be conducted in stages.
The first stage would screen all presidential candidates from all the MPR members. Then 15 candidates could be selected again by voting, to pick five candidates. Before the next stage the five candidates should agree to a debate and introduce their respective programs, which would then be responded to and judged by the MPR members. MPR members would then hold another vote to pick two candidates, and the last stage would result in Indonesia's fourth president. All the media and national television should cover the process.
The presidential election in such stages is a clear and logical path; anyone elected would be accepted by all political forces to the grassroots level.
Q: Would the candidate with the second largest share of the vote automatically become vice president?
A: That depends on the agreement, whether the voting of a president and vice president is to be in one package.
Q: Back to the earlier question on the possibility of PAN being a significant factor in the MPR apart from the military...
A: If PAN obtained about 35 seats and the Indonesian Military (TNI) obtained 38 seats (its quota of unelected seats according to an MPR decree), the total of 73 seats would be significant because everyone needs 351 seats to be able to be president. But now the problem is... as an individual I want to remind people that the presidential candidate should not only be an "either or" (choice).
Q: But that condition could open up again the chance for you to join in the presidential race even though PAN's share of the vote is not substantial.
A: I am a democrat so I don't want to hide behind excuses. With a small share of the vote (maybe 9 percent to 10 percent), the claim to a presidential seat would not be sound...
And I don't mean to seek a chance just because there are two big powers which a small party can take advantage of.
The role I want to take is an accommodating one, and this I also discussed with Gus Dur.
Q: What, in a concrete sense, would that be?
A: That's a secret, just wait...
Q: Back to the presidential election, what if a deadlock occurs?
A: A deadlock -- in the absence of a settlement in the dispute between the Golkar Party and PDI Perjuangan -- could pave the way for a coalition, for example among the five big parties. We could get together as fellow citizens and try to find a way out.
The meeting with Gus Dur was also aimed at solving the sharpening (of differences) in our political situation.
Q: Does Megawati agree to such a way (of solving the problem)?
A: Actually we are all waiting for her to speak. Gus Dur as founder of the PKB also said so, and so did (PKB chairman) Mathori Abdul Jalil. I've often said so, and so has Hamzah Haz... that leaves Megawati to say what she wants.