Support for Megawati renewed

JAKARTA (JP): As the arrival of President Abdurrahman Wahid draws nearer, leaders of two prominent Muslim organizations renewed on Tuesday their choice for Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to assume power as a last-ditch effort to solve the myriad of crises facing the country.

Deputy chairman of Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim group, Din Syamsuddin and chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), Hamzah Haz were united in claiming that the two organizations would not reject a woman president as long as it didn't violate the constitutional process.

"Muhammadiyah has never issued any statement saying that women are not allowed to hold the presidency. I think we will maintain this stance for now and in the future," Din said.

Din and several Muhammadiyah top executives held a meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung at the House on Tuesday to share their concerns about the country's current situation.

"We can see that our country is clearly heading for ruin, so we need to find a quick solution to save it. The efforts to achieve that goal are open to political leaders, though not us because we aren't members of a political organization," Din said.

"We urge Megawati to do something because she has the competence as both the Vice President and chairwoman of the largest political party in the country."

Top leaders of Muhammadiyah met with Megawati last week.

The snowballing support for Megawati contradicted the fact that Islamic-based political parties and many Muslim organizations, bar the largest one Nadhatul Ulama (NU), chanted a unison of rejection for a woman president in the presidential election over 17 months back.

The honeymoon between Abdurrahman and the then anti-Megawati alliance proved shortlived and appeared to have turned into an unreconciled relationship.

A near unanimous decision by the House to censure the President issued on Feb. 1 for his alleged role in two financial scandals has fueled the mood to show him the door.

Separately, PPP chairman Hamzah claimed that the party has never explicitly rejected a woman president.

He said the party's choice of Megawati to take the lead showed its support for the constitution.

The constitution stipulates that if the President cannot complete his or her term, the Vice President should take over.

"If the change of guard is conducted in line with the constitution, then we have to accept the people's choice," Hamzah said.

He recollected that PPP in a meeting in April 1999, prior to the general election, decided to elect the country's "best son" for presidency, but he said the term was not specifically against a woman president.

"Megawati was elected the Vice President through a democratic process, so we will accept her should Gus Dur resign constitutionally," Hamzah said, referring to Abdurrahman by his nickname.

Leading figures of PAN, the United Development Party (PPP), the Justice Party (PK), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), Golkar Party and the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) met on Friday to show their support for Megawati as the immediate successor to Abdurrahman.

While it is not known if any political agreement was reached, the meeting was the first clear public display of a possible political alliance to propel Megawati to presidency.

The National Awakening Party's continuing strong support of Abdurrahman has prompted several observers to be cautious in their assessment of Friday's meeting, warning that it may just be a fleeting coalescence to court Megawati for the parties' respective short-term gains.

Hamzah contended on Tuesday that this political move was simply aimed at showing concern over the unsolved crises facing the country.

"There is no political consensus, our intention is to express our responsibility as political parties because it will be impossible for the government to work effectively without support from the House," he remarked.

Meanwhile, City military and police leaders met on Tuesday to discuss precautionary measures ahead of Abdurrahman's arrival from Saudi Arabia at about Wednesday midnight following reports of a huge rally welcoming the President.

City Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman said after the four-hour meeting there would be no special security arrangements in response to the possible rally.

"We will keep the usual 9,000 security personnel intact. Only if the situation worsens will we upgrade troops to 18,000. In a state of emergency, there will be up to 40,000 personnel deployed," Mulyono said. (dja/ylt)