Support looms for Megawati's presidential bid

Support looms for Megawati's presidential bid

MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Support trickled in yesterday for
Megawati Soekarnoputri's bid for the presidency, including from
an unexpected quarter.

An executive of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)'s North
Sumatra branch, which is controlled by government-backed
Soerjadi, called on the party to support her nomination.

Sahata Hutagalung, deputy chief of the North Sumatra branch,
said he pledged support for Megawati and said the party leaders
should discuss her bid in their meeting next month in Jakarta to
discuss the party's nomination for president.

Sahata described Megawati as an asset to the party and said
Soerjadi should join forces with her ahead of the March
presidential election.

Sahata also suggested that Megawati formally present her bid
to Soerjadi's executive board.

"For the sake of democracy, a political organization should
nominate one of its own leaders for the presidential post," said
Sahata.

Megawati was chairperson of PDI until she was forcefully
removed in a government-engineered party congress which saw the
return of Soerjadi in June 1996.

On Saturday, the daughter of Indonesia's first president
Sukarno, announced her intention to run for the presidency in the
March election. She has since received support from two prominent
Moslem leaders, Amien Rais, chairman of the 28 million-strong
Muhammadiyah, and Abdurrahman Wahid, leader of the 30 million-
strong Nahdlatul Ulama.

Two cabinet ministers said in Jakarta yesterday that they did
not see anything wrong with Megawati's nomination, but added that
her bid remained outside the election mechanism.

Minister of Defense and Security, Edi Sudradjat, and Minister
of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said that it was every
Indonesian citizen's right to participate in politics.

"Every citizen has the right to run for the presidency," Edi
told reporters after a regular coordination meeting among cabinet
ministers dealing with political affairs and security.

"It's acceptable for anyone to nominate oneself for the
presidential post," said Yogie, who chaired the meeting.

But they said that to be formally nominated she had to go
through the proper channels, through the People's Consultative
Assembly which elects the president.

Each of the five factions in the Assembly will officially
announce its presidential candidate on March 8 after seeking the
candidate's acceptance. The presidential election will run in the
next two days.

Meanwhile, a group of students and youths calling themselves
the People's Democratic Alliance (Aldera) rallied at the House of
Representatives in Jakarta yesterday in support of Megawati's bid
for the presidency.

Wearing red headbands, the 30 youths displayed banners reading
"Support Megawati, support reforms" while chanting modified
patriotic songs.

It was the first public support for Megawati since she
declared her bid over the weekend.

Scores of police officers were on alert, but there were no
reported arrests and the group left the building peacefully.

In a statement read by its secretary-general, Pius
Lustrilanang, the group said it believed that Megawati had the
capability to lead the nation and to implement economic and
political reforms.

"We need a new figure, because the present national leadership
cannot push such reforms," Pius said.

The group demanded all the five factions in the People's
Consultative Assembly not renominate President Soeharto for a
seventh five-year term in March. Instead, they called for an
alliance between Megawati, Amien and Abdurrahman. (21/imn/amd)