Reform faction backs Gus Dur for presidency

Reform faction backs Gus Dur for presidency

JAKARTA (JP): The Reform faction of the National Mandate Party
(PAN) and the Justice Party (PK) officially made Abdurrahman
Wahid their presidential candidate on Wednesday.

The nomination by the faction, one of 11 in the People's
Consultative Assembly, serves to reaffirm Abdurrahman's
candidacy, which has been much lauded by the "axis force", of
which the two parties are members.

Reform faction chairman A.M. Lutfie extolled the virtues of
Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, saying he had proven
himself to be an objective, neutral and competent leader
acceptable to all groups.

"We met Gus Dur earlier in the day and presented our official
proposal and he earnestly answered that he was willing to accept
the nomination," Lutfie said, referring to a meeting at
Abdurrahman's residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

"Gus Dur's leadership is something the country needs now,
given the recent situation, and for the next five years," Lutfie
said.

He further described the leader of the 30 million-strong
Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization as a critical figure in the
human rights campaign who could bridge military and civilian
interests.

Weeks before the Assembly's General Session began, the axis
force, a loose alliance of PAN and a number of Muslim-based
political parties, named Abdurrahman their presidential
candidate.

The nomination was proposed by PAN chairman Amien Rais, who
was elected Assembly speaker on Sunday.

However, it remains unclear how Wednesday's nomination of
Abdurrahman will impact the presidential race. The internal rules
of the Assembly stipulate that only factions with at least 70
seats can nominate a presidential candidate.

PAN and PK have 34 and 7 seats, respectively, in the Assembly.

Other parties grouped in axis force who have formed their own
factions in the Assembly, including the Crescent Star Party (PBB)
and the United Development Party (PPP), have yet to formally
nominate Abdurrahan despite having already expressed their verbal
support for his candidacy.

A key factor in Abdurrahman's presidential bid is the National
Awakening Party (PKB). Although it was founded by Abdurrahman,
PKB has officially committed itself to Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

Separately, PKB executive Khofifah Indar Parawangsa said
before Wednesday's announcement that the party would fully
support Abdurrahman once he was officially nominated.

"Gus Dur is a prominent figure in our party, but we cannot
support him because none of the factions have nominated him.

"But I would like to underline that PKB's formal support
should only come as a result of an internal meeting between
(party executives)," she said.

PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil, however, maintained his
position that the party backed Megawati's presidential
aspirations.

Nevertheless, due to the fluid political situation, he left
open the possibility the party's support could shift.

"If we can still see changes in the political alignment in the
final minutes (before the presidential election), why should I or
my party make any decisions now," he said.

Matori pledged in August his party's support for Megawati's
presidential bid.

At the time, Matori said that Megawati, whose party won the
most votes in the June 7 general election, had the right to lead
the country. (emf/05)