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)