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.