PRE-POLLS POLITICAL ALLIANCES FACING UNCERTAINTIES

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, April 12 (ANTARA) - The idea of forming a golden triangle coalition of the United Development Party (PPP), the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) is facing uncertainties as PDIP has moved closer to forming a coalition with the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

        On the other hand, PPP and Golkar (respectively won 5.24 percent and 13.95 percent of the votes in last Thursday's legislative polls based on a quick count) are still hanging in the balance.

        Last month, Megawati Soekarnoputri, leader of PDIP which won 14.33 percent of the polls, met with Golkar Chairman Jusuf Kalla and PPP chief Suryadharma Ali. They shared a view to form a strong government. Suryadharma Ali even came up with the idea to establish an alliance called the 'Golden Triangle Coalition.'

        Before the polls, political parties maneuvered to form coalitions. Besides the Golden Triangle Coalition, eleven small parties (which supported former chief economic minister Rizal Ramly as their presidential candidate) also formed an alliance called the Bloc for Change Coalition.

        Not willing to be left behind, the Democratic Party also voiced its own bloc called the 'Golden Bridge Coalition.'

        Yet, after the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) announced the results of its quick count, where President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party was ranked in the first place with 20.48 percent of the votes, these blocs or alliances seemed to have become uncertain.

        The Bloc for Change Coalition, for example, would be 'disqualified' as all of the 11 political parties supporting it failed to meet the 2.5 percent parliamentary threshold requirement while Golkar and PPP leaders were yet to follow up their golden triangle coalition with the PDIP.

        PPP Secretary General Irgan Chairul Mahfiz even turned to the Democratic Party, hoping PPP would nominate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as its presidential hopeful in the July presidential race.

        "It would be appropriate for PPP to adjust its commitment to the people's aspirations. PPP will discuss its stand in the national congress, however," he said.

        He said that where popular votes would go could already be seen in the biggest number of votes the Democratic Party had collected in the legislative elections. Yudhoyono was the dominant factor in Thursday's polls so that it would be naive for PPP not to see the tendency in the people's aspirations.

        In the meantime, the Golkar is now preparing three coalition scenarios. Golkar Deputy Secretary General Rully Chairul Anwar said that the first scenario was to nominate its own presidential hopeful. The second scenario is to coalesce with the opposition party PDIP and the third one is to 'reconcile' with the Democrat Party.

        Rully said that the first option was hard to carry out because the votes Golkar secured in the legislative elections were less than those won by the Democrat Party, or less than the number of votes (25 percent) required by the law to nominate a presidential candidate.

        As to the second option, Rully said that Golkar had not yet communicated with PDIP at all. "The likelihood of the first and second options is small. It seems that we should take the third option, namely to join the Democrat Party," Rully was quoted by Republika daily as saying.

        Associate chairman of Democrat Party Anas Urbaningrum said meanwhile the best scenario for his party was to form a coalition of political parties which already had the experience in coalition.

        "The best scenario for Democrat Party is to coalesce with parties already have the experience in coalition such as Golkar, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and other parties," he said.

        On Sunday, PPP chairman Suryadharma Ali met with Golkar leader Jusuf Kalla but they made no clear statements on coalition after the meeting. The PPP leader only said that Golkar and PPP shared some similarities.

        "Like a publicly listed company, an important decision should be made through a share-holders' meeting. PPP and Golkar party had to take a decision through a leadership meeting. They were different from other parties who were owned by 'individuals', he said.

        While PPP and Golkar still hanging in the balance, PDIP is moving closer to forming a coalition with Gerindra (which won 4.59 percent votes) and Hanura (3.78 percent).

        Megawati, presidential hopeful of PDIP, met with Hanura chairman Wiranto on Friday and Gerindra leader Prabowo Subianto the following day. According to Taufik Kiemas, PDIP's advisory board chief, PDIP was planning to coalesce with Gerindra and Hanura for the presidential election in July.

        He said the party's plan to coalesce with Gerindra and Hanura would be confirmed on Wednesday. "On Wednesday a decision on the coalition will be made," he said.

        Prabowo said meanwhile the coalition plan would still have to be further discussed in the next few days. "The aim now is saving and securing the country," he said.

        On the occasion, Megawati was asked about the possibility of her taking Prabowo as her running mate. She said the possibility was open, depending on the results of the national party meeting.

        PDIP Secretary General Pramono Anung claimed that basically PDIP had coalesced with Hanura, Gerindra and even with PPP.

        "It is almost certain that we will coalesce with Garindra, Hanura and even PPP," he said.

        Pramono Anung said that at present PDIP was carrying out political communications with several other political parties. "There will also be an immediate meeting with Golkar," the DPIP secretary general said.***1*** (A014/A/H-NG/A/S012) (T.A014/A/A014/A/S012) 12-04-2009 23:23:37