Seeking allies, Wiranto eyes PPP

Seeking allies, Wiranto eyes PPP

Tiarma Siboro and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Fresh from winning the Golkar Party's convention, Gen. (ret)
Wiranto met Thursday with Vice President Hamzah Haz who is also
the leader of the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) at
Hamzah's residence east of here.

The one-hour meeting was described by both men as a "nostalgic
meeting" between two former ministers.

"Pak Hamzah and I served as ministers under then president
Abdurrahman Wahid," Wiranto said during a press conference at the
Shangrila Hotel, while adding that there was no discussion of
current politics.

PPP officials have said that Hamzah will not run for
president, but is hoping to be the vice president again by
teaming up with another party. PPP looks set to finish fourth
when the vote counting is completed for the legislative election.

Although Golkar tops the ballot count, the 21 percent they
have received is still seen as insufficient to guarantee Wiranto
a victory in the direct presidential election so he needs support
from at least one other party.

The country will hold the presidential election on July 5
Parties and coalitions that garner at least 3 percent of seats in
the House of Representatives (DPR) or 5 percent of total votes in
the April 5 legislative election may field candidates in the
country's first ever direct presidential election.

Wiranto, a former military chief, said that his meeting with
Hamzah was similar in nature with his earlier meetings with other
politicians including National Awakening Party (PKB) co-founder
Abdurrahman Wahid and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) leaders.

"I am aware that there will be no presidential candidate that
can win majority without a coalition," he said.

Meanwhile, a leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P) said that party chairwoman Megawati
Soekarnoputri was likely to ask Yogyakarta Governor Sultan
Hamengku Buwono X to be her running mate.

Representatives from both sides are expected to meet in
Yogyakarta on Friday, said the leader who wished to remain
anonymous.

Wiranto said he would soon consult with Golkar's Central
Executive Board (DPP) to determine his running mate. Golkar, he
said, would pick a figure with a similar platform who enjoyed
wide support.

Asked if he would win the full support of all Golkar members,
Wiranto said he hoped his campaign team and Golkar could work
together. Unlike Golkar stalwart Akbar Tandjung whom Wiranto
defeated Wednesday morning, Wiranto is considered a party
outsider. He acknowledged that there were individuals in the
party who liked to create a dichotomy between Golkar members and
outsiders.

"That sort of behavior must be ended because I was a member of
Golkar's Board of Patrons in 1998," he argued.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen.
Endriartono Sutarto repeated on Thursday that the TNI would
remain neutral in the elections.

"If senior military officers run for the presidential
election, we accept it as a call from the country. But neither
the institution nor individuals inside the military will make any
political moves to support them," Endriartono stated.

Endriartono also acknowledged that he had received offers from
other political party leaders, including Golkar leader Akbar
Tandjung and National Mandate Party (PAN) leader Amien Rais to be
their vice presidential candidate, but had rejected them.

"I would rather be in my current position for the sake of the
country because such a position is more useful to the state," the
four-star general said.

In addition to Wiranto, former top security minister Gen.
(ret) Susilo is also in the presidential race, and according to
recent polls, he is the odds on favorite to be the country's
sixth president.

U.S. academic and Indonesian expert Jeffry Winters said
Thursday the election would essentially be a contest between
Susilo and Wiranto.

"I think the contenders are going to be the two generals," he
told foreign correspondents here.