Pro-Mega parties won't accept cabinet posts if she losses

Pro-Mega parties won't accept cabinet posts if she losses

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The coalition of major parties backing President Megawati
Soekarnoputri's bid to retain power has vowed to serve as an
opposition force, should she lose Monday's election runoff.

Golkar Party leader Akbar Tandjung said on Monday the four
parties in the coalition would not join the cabinet of rival
candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and running mate Jusuf Kalla
if the pair won the election.

"This is a long term and permanent coalition. Should we lose
the election, we will became an opposition force in the House of
Representatives," said Akbar, who leads the pro-Megawati
alliance.

The coalition, comprising Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP) and
the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), controls more than 60 percent
of seats in the 550-strong House.

The Reform Star Party (PBR), the Concern for the Nation
Functional Party (PKPB) and the Marhaenisme Indonesian National
Party (PNI Marhaenisme) also supported Megawati's reelection bid.

Meanwhile, Susilo's Democratic Party and the Islam-oriented
Prosperous Justice Party, with which it coalesced, won only 55
and 45 seats in the House respectively in the April 5 legislative
election.

Support for Susilo also came from senior leaders of the
National Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party
(PAN).

Akbar made the statement as Susilo, who is Megawati's former
chief security minister, took the lead in the preliminary vote
tally on Monday evening.

However, Akbar was optimistic that the Megawati-Hasyim ticket
would win the runoff with 55 percent of the vote. "I am sure we
can get that much," he said.

Akbar and some other Golkar executives, PPP leader Hamzah Haz,
PDS leader Ruyandi Hutasoit and PKPB leader R. Hartono visited
Megawati at her private residence on Jl. Kebagusan after they
cast their votes separately.

Megawati's current Cabinet ministers and relatives, as well a
few PDI-P executives, also visited her house.

At home, Megawati looked calm and collected -- her smiling
face showed no sign of stress, although the preliminary vote
tabulation showed her defeat to Susilo.

"I am not tense at all. We are all waiting to see what the
election results will be. I will not say anything as we cannot be
sure yet," she said.

The President expressed gratitude to the people for their
enthusiasm as the presidential election was completed.

"I also thank the coalition for its hard work -- and, of
course, we have to remain vigilant for what is to come after the
election," she added.

When asked what she would do should she lose the election,
Megawati said: "I don't like to talk about something that has not
happened yet. We will see later."