Susilo-Kalla pairing gets reformist backing
Tiarma Siboro and Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
A number of national figures, grouped in the newly launched Cultural Movement for Reform, signed a declaration on Thursday to support the Susilo-Kalla ticket in the upcoming presidential runoff.
The figures, mostly reform-minded politicians, declared their support for the emergence of a new national leader committed to total reform in all fields.
They include former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, his brother Solahuddin "Gus Solah" Wahid, leader of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Alwi Shihab, leader of the Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK) Eros Djarot and Masdar F. Mas'udi, interim head of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
During the declaration signing ceremony at the Hilton Hotel here on Thursday, the movement warned voters of corruption and vote-buying by certain groups who want to maintain the status quo in the country. They also criticized the recent establishment of the "Nationhood Coalition" comprising the pro-status-quo parties.
According to the movement's spokespeople, the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Election Supervisory Body (Panwaslu) must stick to the law in carrying out their tasks to prevent possible disputes among election contenders, their camps and their supporters.
The reformist group also called for equality in power-sharing in a bid to form a more democratic and fair government.
Gus Dur said that despite being a signatory to the declaration, he would not vote on Sept. 20. He did however emphasize how important the meeting was when he said, "I insisted on coming to attend this event after canceling two important appointments with the Singaporean minister of foreign affairs and the Malaysian prime minister today", a reference to George Yeow and Abdullah Achmad Badhawi, respectively.
After the declaration, Susilo also met with the widely respected Yogyakarta governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. It was the third meeting between the two in the last two months. The first and second meetings took place at the sultan's residence in Yogyakarta.
The sultan said in a press conference after the meeting that he wished to share his experiences and thoughts with Susilo and running mate Yusuf Kalla on political and social issues to create better conditions for the people in the future.
He added that he was not meeting the pair in his official capacity as governor to endorse them, but as a concerned citizen.
In a mass gathering at the Senayan Sports Arena (Istora), Susilo, accompanied by his wife Kristiani Yudhoyono, also received political support from numerous groups of people.
"I am making no promises because it is my obligation to give what the people have asked from me, and if Allah wills it, I will win the presidential election and lead this nation," he said, as the thousands in attendance erupted in applause.
During the two-hour gathering, which included several folksongs, many groups of people shared their own problems with Susilo and expressed their confidence that he would be able to solve the problems in the next five years.
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, 23 groups of people from various backgrounds, also pledged their political support for the Susilo- Kalla ticket in the presidential runoff.