Susilo unperturbed with Megawati's political maneuvers

Susilo unperturbed with Megawati's political maneuvers

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang

While running mates Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Yusuf Kalla are
sticking to their principle that they will seek a coalition
partner only after they win the Sept. 20 runoff, Megawati
Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi are actively canvassing for
support from within and outside their power base to enable them
to beat their rival.

Jusuf Kalla, Megawati's former people's welfare minister, said
that his camp was not worried about the maneuvers of political
leaders to form coalitions. He asserted that meetings with voters
at the grassroots was of more strategic value than talking to
politicians who claim that they have a huge support base behind
them.

Kalla said he doubted that Golkar supporters could all be
instructed to vote for Megawati.

"We are not concerned about it, because a coalition among
parties will not be able to bring 100 percent of their
supporters," Jusuf told the press after his meeting with a group
of businessmen at Wisma Anugerah in South Jakarta on Tuesday.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung however refuted Jusuf's
assumption, saying said that his party had a powerful network
throughout the country, that could be used to help win the
presidency.

He said that Golkar gained 24.4 million votes in the April 5
legislative election and Golkar's presidential candidate Gen.
(ret) Wiranto garnered around 23 million votes in the July 5
presidential election.

"It clearly shows that our political machine works," said
Akbar, who was defeated by Wiranto during the party's convention
before the July election.

Meanwhile, the incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri
skipped her weekly meeting with the leaders of her Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), to receive several
politicians at her private residence in Kebagusan, South Jakarta.

She received the Reform Star Party (PBR) chairman Zainuddin
M.Z., who supported Amien Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo in the July
5 election. The latter, who won the fourth largest number of
votes in the election, has been practically eliminated from the
race.

"If we wish to uphold civil supremacy we'll go with Ibu Mega,
but if we want change, although we do not know what kind of
change, then Susilo," the noted Muslim preacher said after the
meeting.

When asked about the presence of the Christian-based Peace
Prosperous Party (PDS) in Megawati's team, Zaenuddin said:
"Religion should not influence state affairs."

PDS executives also visited the President on Tuesday.

On the same day, Megawati's running mate Hasyim Muzadi also
held a series of meetings with several leaders of major
organizations and the media in Semarang, Central Java.

He visited the provincial offices of PDI-P, the United
Development Party (PPP), National Awakening Party (PKB), the
Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the head office of Suara
Merdeka daily.

"This is not about (forming) a coalition, that is for ibu Mega
to decide, my job is to deal with voters," Hasyim, who is
currently nonactive in his capacity as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
chairman.

Meanwhile, political expert Andi A. Mallarangeng and pollster
Muhammad Qodari said on Tuesday coalitions among the political
elite would not influence voting in the second round of the
presidential election.

"The masses no longer relate to the political elite. People
will make their own choices in the election," Andi told reporters
before the launching of a book titled Opinion Survey and
Elections in Indonesia.

Qodari, a director of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI),
said voters would learn more about their candidates from the mass
media, especially from television, than by listening to the
political elite.