PKB told to get 'guarantee' of support for Gus Dur

PKB told to get 'guarantee' of support for Gus Dur

REMBANG, Central Java (JP): The National Awakening Party (PKB)
has been told it should obtain a written guarantee from the
alliance of Muslim-based parties on its intention to nominate
Abdurrahman Wahid as a president candidate.

The alliance is known as the "axis force" and comprises the
National Awakening Party (PAN), the United Development Party
(PPP), the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Justice Party (PK)
spearheaded by PAN chairman Amien Rais.

Cholil Bisri, vice chairman of PKB's lawmaking body, said the
guarantee was important to save PKB from disappointment should
the axis force change its mind.

"This is politics. Anything can happen in two months
(September to October)," he said on Friday.

The new House of Representatives and People's Consultative
Assembly are slated to be installed in October.

Leaders of the largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama,
whose executives founded PKB, have said members are confused
with the presidential candidates named by their leaders --
Abdurrahman and Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Cholil said it would remain natural if PKB chairman, Matori
Abdul Djalil, insisted on supporting Megawati of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) as its presidential
candidate.

Matori announced on Aug. 16 that PKB supported Megawati's
presidential bid following PKB's decision at its congress. PKB
previously stated it would support the presidential candidate
from the party which won most votes in the June 7 polls.

Cholil said, "The nationalist-secularist PDI Perjuangan really
needs the nationalist-religious PKB (as a partner) as both
parties share a similar platform, vision and mission."

Leaders of both parties are part of the Ciganjur Group which
met before the Assembly's November Special Session last year.

Cholil added that both parties should ideally help each other.

Cholil did not deny the possibility of an alliance between the
Golkar Party and PDI Perjuangan.

However, Cholil also said that if a coalition emerged, it
would only last for a limited period and its base would be
"increasingly smaller in the next five years".

Speculation of an alliance between the two parties has
surfaced, with observers pointing to the conservative image of
PDI Perjuangan regarding issues such as the phasing out of the
military's dual function.

"I believe that Mbak Mega will not easily form a coalition
with the Golkar Party. She will think thousands of times before
joining Golkar," Cholil said. Golkar has been implicated in a
bank scandal.

Antara quoted Yusril Ihza Mahendra, chairman of the Crescent
Star Party, as saying that the potential clout of the axis force
was now being taken into account by PDI Perjuangan.

"The force will play an important role in the presidential
election," Yusril said during a gathering late Thursday at the
residence of Abdurrahman in South Jakarta. The event was a
thanksgiving gathering for the success of Abdurrahman's eye
surgery.

"PDI Perjuangan has 153 seats and the Golkar Party 120 seats,
so the candidate from the axis force has a bigger chance to win
with 174 seats," Yusril said.

Yusuf Hasyim, chairman of the Muslim Community Awakening Party
(PKU), was quoted as saying that Abdurrahman's nomination was
proper despite his controversialism, "because he is accepted by
most people and has little potential of causing conflict among
the public."

The view was also shared by Nurmahmudi Ismail, president of
the Justice Party, and AM Fatwa, vice chairman of PAN. (har/05)