PKB reverses field, backs Gus Dur

PKB reverses field, backs Gus Dur

JAKARTA (JP): The presidential race became even tighter on
Thursday after the National Awakening Party (PKB) threw its
weight behind the presidential nomination of Abdurrahman Wahid.

However, PKB's shifting stance has created more confusion than
certainty. Its support for the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman is
tantamount to deserting the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle's (PDI Perjuangan) Megawati Soekarnoputri.

PKB's sudden shift came hot on the heels of Abdurrahman's
formal nomination by the Reform faction in the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The faction comprises the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the
Justice Party (PK).

"Gus Dur is suitable as our next president, and real support
is continuing to pour in," said PKB deputy chairman Alwi Shihab
as he announced the party's backing of Abdurrahman, who is
popularly known as Gus Dur.

Alwi conceded that PKB found itself in a dilemma after
Abdurrahman, the party's founder and chairman of the Muslim
organization, was officially nominated for the presidency.

In an apparent attempt to keep all political options open and
not alienate PDI Perjuangan altogether, Alwi claimed that despite
PKB's support for Abdurrahman, the party would not turn its back
on Megawati.

"We support Gus Dur's nomination as our presidential
candidate. But this does not mean we will leave Megawati behind,"
he said without elaborating.

He said PKB was not attempting to damage the close personal
relations between Megawati and Abdurrahman over the presidential
race.

The loose coalition of PAN and several Muslim parties known as
the "axis force" have long touted Abdurrahman as a presidential
candidate. That support was formally realized on Wednesday when
the Reform faction, which includes two of the axis force members,
nominated the NU chief.

PKB itself had until Thursday claimed they were fully behind
Megawati's candidacy.

How this development affects the Oct. 20 presidential election
between the three leading candidates -- Megawati, Abdurrahman and
incumbent B.J. Habibie -- remains to be seen, as even Alwi
acknowledged the fluidity of the political situation.

Alwi said the PKB would be keeping a close eye on the axis
force.

"If at the last minute, before the presidential election, the
axis force withdraws its support for Gus Dur, it will be easy for
PKB to return to PDI Perjuangan in its support of Megawati," he
said.

Abdurrahman's viewpoint on the leadership issue has not been
clear cut. He said he accepted the nomination, but continued to
personally support Megawati.

Not all of the parties linked with the axis force, the
Crescent Star Party (PBB) in particular, have formalized their
support for Abdurrahman.

Maneuver

Senior PDI Perjuangan figures coolly received the PKB
declaration, refusing to show concern that the chances of their
own candidate had been dealt a blow.

PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Kwik Kian Gie and senior
executive Sutjipto said the move could be an elaborate political
maneuver by the wily NU chief.

"I don't know... But I hope this is his (Abdurrahman's)
strategy for a political maneuver to, at the right time, lend his
support for Megawati in the presidential election," Kwik said on
Thursday.

Kwik said the move would not affect PDI Perjuangan's fight for
the top job.

Sutjipto said he hoped Abdurrahman would continue his personal
supportive stand on Megawati's bid.

"PDI Perjuangan's supporters, many of whom are from NU,
believe that Gus Dur will support Megawati. We believe Gus Dur
will not run for the presidential race, because he himself
supports Megawati," Sutjipto said.

Political analysts agreed on Thursday that the PKB move was a
setback for PDI Perjuangan, but were at odds on whether it was an
elaborate political ruse to impede one of the presidential
candidates.

Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia said PDI Perjuangan
had only their own arrogance to blame for the setbacks it had
encountered.

"They feel they won the election and so neglect to nurture
alliances with other parties," he said.

Political observer M. Mahfud of the Indonesian Islamic
University in Yogyakarta said it was only to be expected that
PKB, which was founded by and is comprised of NU members, would
support Abdurrahman's nomination.

"There's no way PKB would not have supported Gus Dur once the
nomination became formal," he told The Jakarta Post.

Mahfud refused to say outright whether Megawati had suffered a
setback, but noted that PKB's announcement would worry the
Habibie camp, because Gus Dur would be directly challenging the
incumbent for support from Assembly members who were not aligned
to the Megawati camp.

"They haven't even proclaimed it, yet I'm sure Yusril (PBB
chief) supports Gus Dur. And I'm also certain that the United
Development Party (PPP) would in the end swing toward Gus Dur,
because many of its party executives don't support either Habibie
or Megawati," Mahfud said.

Former minister Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said in Yogyakarta that
due to the current circumstances PDI Perjuangan had to be more
active in lobbying for support.

"Its two-way traffic. People are being forced to show goodwill
to PDI Perjuangan, but on the other hand they also have to show
goodwill to others," Sarwono said.

Sarwono refused to reveal his preference between Gus Dur and
Megawati.

"As long as it isn't Habibie, I will have faith in the next
government," he said.

In Bandung, Indonesian Institute of Sciences political
researcher Indria Samego said that Abdurrahman was setting
himself up as a kingmaker in the current political scene.

"Whether the Golkar Party maintains its support for Habibie
will determine Abdurrahman's next move," he said. (rms/05/23/43/44)