OPPOSITION PDIP TO JOIN RULING PD COALITION ?

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 24 (ANTARA) - The discourse on the possibility of a coalition between the ruling Democrat Party (PD) and its most bitter rival so far, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), is raising an important question, namely what cabinet portfolio is going to be offered to the latter.          While aspirations within the PDIP itself over the discourse are still divided, including PDIP leader Megawati Soekarnoputri who is opposed to it, the PD's gesture can basically be construed as its   readiness to reserve a ministerial post for the PDIP.          After all, the PD might have been  disillusioned with some of the  political parties with which it is officially allied after they  did not follow its political line with regard to the  Bank Century bailout scandal.          Its experience with these 'renegade' coalition partners has now led the PD to want to evaluate its coalition with them.          In a national coordination meeting next month, the PD is to evaluate its coalition with a number of other parties, including the idea of an alliance with the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP).          Djafar Hafsah, a PD associate chairman, said on Tuesday various things would be discussed at the meeting ahead of a party congress to be held in Bandung in May. "The coordination meeting will also evaluate the coalition, including a discourse of including PDIP in the coalition," he said.          The idea of coalescing with PDIP is actually not new or had not arisen after the three coalition members namely Golkar Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Development Party (PPP) took a stance against the Democrat Party in the  Bank Century case.          It has been put forward since the chief patron of the Democrat Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was elected president in July 2009. "At the time, the Democrat Party several times made an offer to PDIP to coalesce with the party but no agreement was reached," Djafar Hafsah said.          The idea to include the PDIP in the ruling coalition was also raised by PD vice chairman Ahmad Mubarok, who described it as a big idea about a coalition among the three nationalist parties, namely PDIP, the Democrat Party and the Golkar Party to face political competition in 2014.          "This means a match because the idea has been there for a long time and was once discussed with Tjahjo Kumolo(PDIP faction leader in parliament). If the three parties coalesce and the coalition is solid it can become a political anchor because all religious-oriented parties are declining," he said.         "It could be seen like that (the chance to join the coalition is bigger) but I think PDIP is also thinking about long-term goals," Mubarokb said.          Earlier, PDIP has indicated its intention to shift its political position. PDIP secretary general Pramono Anung said that his party would no longer position itself as an opposition party but a balancing force which is pro-people.          The discourse on the coalition with the PD originated from PDIP chief patron Taufik Kiemas who has since sometime ago voiced the idea to coalesce with the ruling party. However the idea is not supported by PDIP  Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri who is also Kiemas's wife. Megawati preferred PDIP serving as a balancing party or opposition that watches over  the government.          Moreover, if PDIP joins the ruling coalition, it was feared it would lose its grass-root supporters. According to a political observer, public support for the PDIP will weaken continuously and reach rock bottom in the 2014 general elections if it coalesces with the PD.          "It will really happen if the PDIP joins the PD-led coalition that supports the SBY-Boediono government," political observer Sukardi Rinakit said. Rinakit made the remark to comment on PDIP Secretary General Pramono Anung's statement about the possibility of his party coalescing with the Democrat Party.          "If it happens, I predict that public support for the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle will surely weaken. It would then even lose its most loyal supporters," Sukardi Rinakit added.          Hanny Senewe, a senior observer of the Center for Indonesian National Policy Studies (CINAPS), concurred with Rinakit. The main axis  supporting the PDIP, namely those with a Marhaenist ideology would surely feel offended if the party ceases to function as an opposition.          "This is because they have so far been in the forefront with various other elements of the public in opposing  what they call  Neo-colonialist imperialism (Nekolim) which is now also  known as Neoliberalism (Neolib) whose stooges in the government, legislative, and business circles continue to build their capitalist network in the country," she said.          In this respect, PDIP Regional Executive Board for Yoyakarta decided to maintain the idea that PDIP should maintain its opposition stance.          "In our regional working meeting that was held since Friday last week we decided to maintain the stance that PDIP should remain an opposition. The opposition stance we mean here is a constructive one," PDIP chairman for Yogyakarta branch Idham Samawi said.          In order to take a stance regarding the coalition discourse, the PDIP will discuss it in its Congress scheduled for next month. The congress will be attended by all regional executive boards throughout the country.          According to PDIP chairman for West Java branch, Rudi Harsa, the April congress will discuss two options the results of which are expected to make PDIP a party which always defends the people's interest.          "We should not think black and white where opposition or coalition is the most correct choice. What is important is that we live up to our reputation as 'the small people's party'", he said.      (T.A014/A/HAJM/17:05/a014) (T.A014/A/A014/A/A014) 24-03-2010 17:23