Susilo tests coalition waters

Susilo tests coalition waters

Slamet Susanto and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Yogyakarta/Jakarta

After little communication with other parties, presidential
election front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the Democratic
Party has become more "sociable" as the Sept. 20 runoff
approaches.

Susilo visited National Mandate Party (PAN) leader Amien Rais
on Friday at the latter's residence in Pandeansari, Sleman
regency, Yogyakarta.

The two spent more than one hour talking, accompanied by
executives of their political parties.

"We share many views on how we should develop the country in
the next five years. We agreed on many things, especially on
commitment to reform and change," Susilo said, after the meeting.

"Our agenda is to work together, in the executive and
legislative bodies," he added.

Amien said that no specific commitment was made in the meeting
and that further talks were necessary to form a possible
coalition.

Amien was the first political leader Susilo met after the
latter, and his running mate Jusuf Kalla, were declared by the
General Elections Commission (KPU) the winner of the July 5
presidential election.

The Susilo-Kalla ticket will contest the Sept. 20 runoff,
challenging incumbent, President Megawati Soekarnoputri and her
running mate Hasyim Muzadi.

Susilo had appeared reluctant to forge a coalition with other
political parties to face the runoff, saying he would focus on
efforts to secure grassroots support.

Kalla held a meeting with United Development Party (PPP)
leader Hamzah Haz recently, offering cooperation and seats in the
next Cabinet in return for the PPP's support of Susilo.

However, one day later, Susilo quickly denied the offer and
said that Kalla should not have made it.

Also on Friday, Megawati visited Golkar Party leader Akbar
Tandjung at his residence in Widya Chandra, South Jakarta,
talking about possible cooperation between his party and the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), of which
Megawati is the leader.

"We have agreed to develop democracy and increase cooperation
between our parties," Akbar said.

Megawati, accompanied by her husband Taufik Kiemas and deputy
PDI-P secretary Pramono Anung, arrived at around 8:40 p.m. and
left Akbar's house after the talks at 10 p.m.

During the meeting, Akbar was accompanied by Golkar secretary-
general Budi Harsono.

It was the second formal meeting between Akbar and Megawati
after the first one on July 15, when the Golkar leader visited
her at her house in Kebagusan, South Jakarta.

Akbar and Golkar party central board executives have
established closer ties with Megawati's camp, while Golkar's
presidential candidate Wiranto was filing a complaint with the
Constitutional Court over the election results.

He claimed to have lost some 3.4 million votes due to
inaccuracies and inconsistencies in vote counting after the July
5 election. His campaign team blamed those lost votes for his
defeat.

Golkar deputy chairman Theo Sambuaga said his party would
decide during next month's national meeting whether to support
Megawati or Susilo in the runoff.

"We have the strongest signal to coalesce from PDI-P, but we
will decide later," he said.

Meanwhile, Megawati had already held meetings with former
president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and Hamzah.

A PDI-P source said on Friday Megawati has received a request
from Amien Rais for talks on a possible coalition.