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.