PBB fears deadlock over presidency

PBB fears deadlock over presidency

JAKARTA (JP): Leading politician Yusril Ihza Mahendra
expressed concern over the possibility of a deadlock in the
November presidential election if poll contestants, all fielding
their own candidates, could not agree on the winner.

The chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) said during a
discussion at The Jakarta Post on Thursday that parties, now
trying to outdo one another in boasting about the number of votes
they expect to win in the general election and about their
presidential candidates, should anticipate a deadlock.

He said the 48 political parties contesting the general
election would find it difficult to win a simple majority, and
even the winning party's presidential candidate could be
effectively blocked if the smaller parties decided to coalesce to
challenge the candidate.

Should this situation occur, he said, the political process of
the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
and the establishment of a new administration could be disrupted.

He proposed that political parties agree in advance to let the
winning party's presidential candidate prevail. "No matter what
party is the winner, its presidential candidate should be
elected."

Other parties could then "share power" by having their members
placed in the new administration, he said.

He said it would be difficult to have a coalition of parties
form a government because the 1945 Constitution adhered to a pure
presidential system. Under this system, it is the prerogative of
the president-elect to establish a government, he said.

Therefore, it is more important for parties to work toward an
agreement to avoid a deadlock than to discuss which person
should become president, he said.

The Crescent Star Party at its recent congress named 10
leaders as "prospective presidential candidates". The list has
been circulated to its so-called "voters corps" in the 327
regencies across the country, who will select the party's
presidential candidate.

Even though the selection process is underway, Yusril declined
to name the strongest contender to become the party's
presidential candidate. The party will make its candidate known
only after the general election, he said.

"What if a party nominates its own presidential candidate and
turns out to win only 5 percent of the vote," he asked.

Yusril, a constitutional law expert who used to lecture at the
University of Indonesia, is one of the party's presidential
candidates.

He is also said to be among the strongest contenders along
with candidates such as Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party
(PAN), Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid of the
National Awakening Party (PKB) and President B.J. Habibie of
Golkar Party.

Other prospective candidates are Yogyakarta Governor Sri
Sultan Hamengkubuwono X and Gen. Wiranto, the minister of defense
and security/commander of the Armed Forces.

Article 6 of the 1945 Constitution says: "The president and
vice president are elected by the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) through a majority vote."

Debates have begun on how a party can garner support from
various factions within the 700-member MPR to form a majority
vote to establish a government.

The MPR will consist of 462 elected members of the House of
Representatives, 38 unelected House members from the Armed
Forces, 135 regional delegates and 65 delegates from societal
groups.

Yusril refused to say how many votes his party hoped to gain
in the elections, saying announcing a target could encourage the
party's grassroots supporters to fight or even cheat in order to
reach the goal.

"What's more important to us is a political education for the
people... we established the party not solely to contest this
election, but also to help find alternative solutions (to the
political crisis)," Yusril said.

Yusril, who was accompanied by party leaders Farid
Prawiranegara, Fadli Zon, Toni Karim and M.S. Ka'ban, also
discussed reports in the mass media that the elections would
fail.

He conceded that preparations for the elections had not been
going well, but "if the elections failed, we would see chaos,
which would justify the military coming and taking over (power)."

He also said: "Please bear in mind (history shows) that when
the military takes over power, it keeps it for at least three
decades."

He believes that, following the resignation of former
autocratic president Soeharto, now is the time for civilians to
play their part and lead the country.

"This is not a question of good versus bad, but that we have
to choose the lesser of two evils," he said. "If the polls were
delayed for 10 years (until all parties believed they were
ready), people would (find another fault, namely) that Habibie
had longer to enjoy (power)."

"I believe having the polls (even with various faults) is
still better than not having them." (aan/swe)