PDI-P reaffirms Megawati's presidency

PDI-P reaffirms Megawati's presidency

JAKARTA (JP): Election winner Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) concluded its leadership meeting on
Tuesday reaffirming chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri's
presidential candidacy.

Secretary-general Alexander Litaay told a press conference at
congress venue Bhumi Wiyata Hotel in the Jakarta suburb of Depok
that party leaders have been instructed to protect Megawati's
path to the "new millennium presidency".

He said the leaders also decided to set up guidelines by which
the party would name its legislators in the House of
Representatives.

"The chapters and branches themselves will select the
candidates and decide the final list for the House," Litaay said.

Litaay's statement followed his promise on Monday that PDI
Perjuangan would revise its legislative candidate list, which was
criticized by many because many of the names are not Muslims.
Election regulations, however, do not permit any changes to the
lists, which were approved before the June 7 polls by the General
Elections Commission.

Litaay's promise was seen by some as an effort to appease
critical Muslim groups, who had vehemently opposed Megawati's
presidential bid on the grounds that Islam bars women heads of
administration.

"We want to have legislative candidates who will fight for the
aspirations of the people, especially the people who voted for
them."

He said the party's guidelines are intended to prevent
possible vote buying in the presidential election, held during
the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Indonesia elects its president and vice president through an
indirect election system, under which the people's right to elect
their leaders is entrusted to members in the MPR.

The 700-member Assembly will meet in November to elect a new
president and vice president and establish the 1999-2004 State
Policy Guidelines (GBHN).

An indication that party legislators are prone to vote-buying
attempts was revealed by chairman of the party's Jakarta chapter,
Roy B.B. Janis. "A dozen PDI Perjuangan legislative candidates
have been offered money to vote for another presidential
candidate," he said.

However, he said that a number of legislative candidates from
other parties have offered to join forces with PDI Perjuangan in
the Assembly's General Session.

A preliminary count by the National Elections Committee (PPI)
put PDI Perjuangan in the lead with 33.7 percent of the vote and
an estimated 154 seats in the House, while the ruling Golkar
Party came second with an estimated 120 House seats after it
secured 22.4 percent of the vote.

Though still considered premature, talks on the next president
have been dominated by Megawati and incumbent President B.J.
Habibie, who have been nominated by PDI Perjuangan and Golkar
respectively.(imn/43)