Nomination of Megawati sparks debate

Nomination of Megawati sparks debate

JAKARTA (JP): The proposed nomination of Megawati
Soekarnoputri, chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), to
run for the 1998 presidential election won sympathy from
politicians but was opposed by one of her foes yesterday.

Her sympathizers noted that PDI supporters are showing
political courage, something which is somewhat unusual in
Indonesia where politics is tightly controlled by the government.

They were responding to PDI activists' calls for the party's
executive board to nominate Megawati in the 1998 presidential
race.

A.A. Oka Mahendra, a politician from the Golkar ruling party,
and H.M. Mansyur from the United Development Party (PPP) said the
nomination was a courageous maneuver to develop democracy in this
country.

"It's an interesting development," Oka said. "The open support
for her should serve as input for the People's Consultative
Assembly on whoever the people want to have in the future," he
said.

Mansyur said the PDI activists' move earns them respect
because it adds color to the ongoing democratization process.
"They know she is no match for President Soeharto," he told
journalists.

The 74-year-old incumbent has not stated whether he will run
for the 1998 presidential election, although he has drawn strong
backing from numerous organizations under Golkar.

At least three members of the House of Representatives from
the PDI faction have joined the petition to call for the
nomination of Megawati, the daughter of Indonesia's first
president Sukarno. Megawati turned 49 years old on Tuesday.

Opposition to the maneuver of Megawati's supporters came
yesterday from senior PDI politician Budi Hardjono, who lost to
her in the 1993 party election despite having the government's
backing.

"They (Megawati's supporters) have, in the first place, to
convene a congress and drop the party's pledge of support for the
New Order government under President Soeharto," he said.

In its four-point political stand made in 1993, the PDI also
pledged to support the Armed Forces' dual role in both politics
and defense.

"Those who insist on nominating Megawati without bothering to
consider the party's political stand do not deserve PDI
membership," he said.

Political observer Darmanto Jatman said the nomination
signifies PDI supporters' empathy for Megawati whose two-year-old
leadership of PDI has been endlessly frustrated by internal
bickering and by external forces.

"People see her tough stance in facing all the problems and
they think she has the qualifications to become the future
president," he noted.

"But in fact they know only too well she has no chance of
clinching the presidential post. The existing political system
does not allow for her rise to presidency," he added.

Nurdien H.K., a political observer from the Diponegoro
University in Semarang, said he agreed that there should be more
than one presidential candidate in 1998.

"Megawati's nomination is good from that point of view. To
have more than one candidate is a good way to help create
democracy," he said.

But at present, he said, it is near to impossible for any
candidate to beat Soeharto if he runs for a seventh term in 1998.

"He is unbeatable at the moment. He has no strong contender
yet," he said.

Under the Indonesian system, a president is elected by the
1,000 People's Consultative Assembly, which convenes once every
five years. The assembly is currently dominated by Golkar.

If the assembly does accept Megawati as an alternative
candidate, it would be the first in the nation's 50 year history
that there was more than one presidential nominee.

Saleh Khalid M.M., the chairman of the Indonesian Younger
Generation for Development, a youth organization affiliated to
the Moslem-based PPP, said Megawati should ask herself if she has
the capacity to become the president of the republic.

"Does she meet the requirements stated by the Constitution?
Can she secure support from all factions in the Assembly?" he
asked.

Saleh said he is of the opinion that the future president
should be elected by consensus of all factions, not by a vote as
the PDI is proposing. (pan/har)