Jakarta – Amien Rais praised Abdurrahman Wahid for the latter's willingness to be presidential candidate of the new political alliance that Amien forged, called "the axis force," and said the assent was a boost to democratization.
Amien, the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said in Surakarta, Central Java, that Abdurrahman's willingness would further strengthen the new alliance which so far grouped eight Islamic political parties. He said he envisioned a "political triangle" in the future which involved the axis force, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar.
Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, is the presidential candidate of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organization in the country, which claims the support of 37 million followers.
Amien said Abdurrahman would serve as a fresh alternative in the next presidential election, adding to the existing front-runners, namely PDI Perjuangan leader Megawati Soekarnoputri and Golkar's B.J. Habibie.
"The nomination would give stronger support for the axis force," Amien said of the alliance. The alliance was meant in the beginning to offset stiff competition between Megawati and Habibie, which were polarizing people, he said.
Among supporters of the new alliance were United Development Party (PPP), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), PAN, the Justice Party (PK) and the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU).
"With the support of PAN, PKB and other Muslim-based parties, I believe that the axis force will be a true power," said Amien, who first announced the alliance's support for Abdurrahman.
Amien noted, however, that the opportunity to talk with other winning parties on the matter was wide open. He justified his intention to include Golkar – despite having repeatedly attacked the ruling party previously – on the grounds that "there were also 'white Golkar', namely those who are pro-reform".
Amien, a former chairman of Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim organization in the country, conceded the new alliance was established due to Megawati's slowness in responding to various political problems. Megawati's party won first place in the June 7 poll, grabbing 33.7 percent of the vote.
"We [the axis force] and Abdurrahman find it impossible to accept the political uncertainties because Megawati was so tight-lipped about everything. We have to be creative and move forward," Amien said. Negotiation
Separately, political observer Pratikno from the Gadjah Mada University said in Yogyakarta on Monday that Abdurrahman's willingness was a boon not only to the axis force but would also make Megawati open negotiations with the group.
"Abdurrahman's willingness would strengthen the unity of proreform forces who all this time were divided into nationalist-secularist as represented by PDI Perjuangan and the Islamic forces," Pratikno said.
Political observer Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia agreed, and said that Megawati now must first embrace the new alliance if she still wanted to become president.
"Her chance at the next presidency hinges at whether she can cooperate with other parties," Arbi said on Saturday in the Central Java capital of Semarang. "Without the support of the other parties, it would be unlikely for her to garner 351 votes in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) during the presidential election."
Arbi said Megawati was too slow in approaching the other parties, so much so that they now believed she did not want them and preferred the company of other forces. Besides, "by cooperating with the axis force, her image as anti-Islam can be erased," Arbi said.
Pratikno said Abdurrahman's presence in the axis force would reduce the possibility of Habibie gaining its support. PPP said it would support Habibie.
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said, however, Abdurrahman's acquiescence to the axis force's nomination was not yet an official process. "The official procedure will only begin in the next MPR meeting," Akbar said during a family visit in Surakarta on Sunday. A presidential candidate must have extensive capability, experience and be acceptable, he said.
Meanwhile, chairman of the PKB branch in Central Java, Noer Iskandar Albarsany, said his party had yet to declare whether it would support Abdurrahman's willingness to be named presidential candidate of the axis force.
"PKB has yet to declare its stance on the matter. We will hold a leadership meeting on Saturday in Jakarta and decide later," Noer said in Semarang on Monday.
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, a group of Habibie's supporters said they would send 7,000 activists to Jakarta to safeguard the General Session of the MPR where a new president would be elected.
G. Mada, spokesman of the Indonesian Muslim Students Solidarity Forum, said they were only responding to threats from Megawati's supporters that they would occupy the House of Representatives building in order to ensure that Megawati was elected president.
"We are ready to go, too, if Megawati's supporters carry out their threat," Mada said. "The threat smacks of intimidation which hoodlums usually use."
"How would the people's representatives carry out their duties if they are under intimidation? Do they think they're the only ones who can spill blood using pin pricks?" Mada said in reference to Megawati's supporters who conveyed support for her after collecting bloodied thumbprints. "We, too, can spill blood with our machetes."