PDI-P members doubt the success of Mega Center

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Cirebon

Skepticism is rife among Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) members about the possibility of the planned Mega Center to help party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri retain the presidency.

Senior PDI-P member Kwik Kian Gie said on Thursday that under the direct presidential election system, no political party would have enough time to win over swing voters and secure a simple majority of 51 percent.

"I know nothing about the Mega Center, I'm not part of it. But how can you convince Indonesian people to vote for one figure in such a short time?" queried Kwik, who is known for the critical remarks he makes about his party.

Kwik, the incumbent state minister of national development planning, asserted that such a center would not be much help in a direct presidential election.

Skepticism is also evident in several other senior party members, who said it was a mission impossible with the presidential election scheduled for July 5.

"So far in the legislative election, we have only garnered around 20 million votes. That would have to be increased to 80 million votes for July 5. Who could do that?" one senior party member told The Jakarta Post.

"Maybe they should have hired a shaman who can put a spell on voters to ensure our victory."

The PDI-P announced on Tuesday it would establish a campaign team called the Mega Center to boost Megawati's chances of retaining the presidency, which would atone for the party's foreseeable defeat in the legislative election.

As of Thursday, with over 85 million out of a possible 147 million votes counted electronically for the April 5 legislative election, the PDI-P was trailing behind former president Soeharto's Golkar Party by more than one million votes.

In 1999 election, the PDI-P racked up 33.7 percent of the vote to win the top spot, with Golkar coming second with 22.5 percent.

PDI-P deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said the center would consist of Cabinet ministers as well as party members.

Another PDI-P figure, Jacob Nuwa Wea, said he was ready to serve in the Mega Center. The manpower minister also expressed confidence that his boss would win the presidency.

"There are many people who did not vote for the PDI-P but are willing to vote for Megawati. I am ready to help Megawati secure a victory," Nuwa Wea said.

All Cabinet ministers from the PDI-P are required to be involved with the center, Nuwa Wea asserted.

Besides Nuwa Wea and Kwik, State Minister of State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi, Minister of Forestry Mohammad Prakosa and Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno are PDI-P representatives in Megawati's almost three-year-old Cabinet.

Separately, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) leader Hidayat Nur Wahid said he had prepared a team of lawyers to deal with the defamation lawsuit that the PDI-P has threatened to file.

"We have appointed lawyers to represent us should the matter be brought to court, We will abide by the legal process," Hidayat said during a visit to Cirebon, West Java .

The PDI-P intends to sue Hidayat for a statement he made that was printed in the April 12 edition of Tempo magazine, which quoted him as saying that Megawati took sides with "wong licik" (connivers) instead of the poor.

Hidayat underlined that criticism was democratic and should not be consider as insulting.

The South Jakarta and Central Jakarta district courts sentenced editors of Rakyat Merdeka daily to suspended prison terms earlier this year for publishing stories deemed defamatory toward Megawati.