Support for presidential aspirants

Support for presidential aspirants

Some political parties and members of Indonesia's political
elite have declared their support for one of the two presidential
candidates vying in the second round of the country's
presidential election on Sept. 20. This has made the Indonesian
political map clear.

We have seen parties, normally critical of one another,
coalesce into groups. The Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party
(PKS), for example, declared conditional support for the Democrat
Party's Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last Friday.

Susilo's rival, President Megawati Soekarnoputri of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), has gained the
support of the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP), the
Golkar Party and the Christian-orientated Peace and Prosperity
Party (PDS).

Former presidential candidates Amien Rais of the National
Mandate Party (PAN), and Wiranto of Golkar, however, have not
shown any interest in joining the coalitions.

The forming of coalitions is natural in this era of reform,
although there is no guarantee that the supporters of the
political parties involved will follow their parties' decisions.

Unfortunately, certain groups of people have said they will
abstain from voting in the runoff due to their disappointment
over the failure of their own candidates to advance to the second
round.

We are all looking forward to the runoff. We all want to know
who wins the country's first direct election. We have high hopes
that the next president will be able to transform the country and
achieve progress as regards improved public welfare. -- Bisnis
Indonesia, Jakarta