PDI-P, PAN and PKB urged to coalesce

JAKARTA (JP): Noted Muslim intellectual Nurcholish Madjid called on the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) to form a coalition government to push for reform.

PDI-P, PAN and PKB, along with Golkar Party and the United Development Party (PPP), are expected to garner the most votes in the elections.

"The other two (Golkar and PPP) should become opposition parties," he said while discussing preliminary poll results with PAN secretary-general Faisal Basri, Elections Supervisory Committee deputy chief Todung Mulya Lubis and the governor of the National Resilience Institute, Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar.

Nurcholish, also known as Cak Nur, said it was too early to predict which party would win the elections given the large number of ballots yet to reach the General Elections Commission.

Nurcholish, however, said Golkar and PPP were not expected to win the elections and should not be included in the coalition government because of their failure to uphold the will of the people in the past.

"Golkar has been fiercely criticized for its failure to channel the people's aspirations during the repressive 32-year New Order regime. It was the means to maintain the status quo, while PPP has been halfhearted about pushing for total reform," he said.

He said Golkar might have retained some support had it followed the military's lead and repositioned itself.

"After president Soeharto resigned, Golkar failed to reform itself... It should have disbanded and reappeared under another name while retaining its networks. But that did not occur," he said.

Nurcholish, who is the rector of Paramadina Mulya University in Jakarta, said that by 2000, Indonesia should be accustomed to the opposition system which was essential to democracy.

No problem

Faisal said his party would have no difficulty coalescing with PDI-P and PKB because there were no substantial differences in their political platforms and objectives.

"We have no problem with Cak Nur's suggestion, but all this will depend on the elections' final outcome. PAN is ready to form a coalition with the two parties (PDI-P and PKB) but not with Golkar," he said.

He also warned major political parties of possible political maneuvering by the military during the presidential election because of the probability no party would control a majority in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which elects the president.

"If the five main parties each gain between 10 and 30 percent of the vote, the military, which has 38 seats in the House of Representatives, will still play an important role in the presidential election," he said.

Faisal also said the mechanisms used to appoint the 27 regional representatives and 35 professional representatives in the People's Consultative Assembly remained unclear.

He said B.J. Habibie could win the presidential election if the regional and professional representatives and the 38 military representatives joined forces with Golkar.

He said the regional and professional representatives should be appointed from groups which were not represented by existing political parties.

Todung proposed the military remain neutral in the presidential election and not put forward its own presidential candidate.

"But I'm sure that the military will use its political rights in the presidential election," he said.

Agum, meanwhile, deplored continued attacks on Golkar and the New Order regime.

"I know the two have made many mistakes but they have also have done many good things," he said. (rms)