Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesians will find out next week whether they will be able to vote directly for their choices of president and vice-president in the 2004 election, after the country's supreme legislative body reaches an agreement on the issue.

All factions in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) have agreed to adopt some sort of a direct presidential election, but differences remain on the specifics of the election in the event that no single majority winner emerges from it.

It is the technicality of this aspect and whether or not the MPR should retain its role as the ultimate decision maker on the country's leaders that are likely to take centre-stage in the 10-day-long Assembly's Annual Session, which started on Thursday.

It is especially crucial, as major political parties are already gearing up for the 2004 presidential election.

Golkar, the second largest party in the country, is the biggest proponent of a completely direct presidential election, arguing that it will strengthen the legitimacy of the country's leaders.

But observers said the party would benefit much from a direct presidential election because of its strong network of supporters outside Java, especially in the eastern part of the country.

A Golkar source admitted: 'Yes, we have a major stake in this because we are certain the next president could be a Golkar man if we have a direct election.'

Golkar's chairman Akbar Tandjung is one of the politicians seeking to contend in the 2004 election.

Assembly members will start the debate next week on which of the two alternatives to agree on, should no party emerge as a majority winner.

While Golkar proposed a second popular election if none of the contenders win 51 per cent of the votes, the largest party, the Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) wants a partial direct presidential election.

According to this option, the MPR would elect the president and vice-president instead of holding another popular election.

This will be little change from the current system, in which the 695-member strong MPR elects the president and vice-president after the general election, a system that critics say encourages money politics.

PDIP's reluctance reflects its conservative tendency in the whole constitutional amendment process that observers attribute to its leader President Megawati Sukarnoputri's emotional attachment to the 1945 Constitution drafted by her father, the founding president Sukarno.

Smaller parties with weak grassroots support, such as the National Mandate Party, whose leader Dr Amien Rais is another presidential hopeful, also are in favour of partial direct presidential election.

But Mr Jacob Tobing, who heads the ad hoc committee in charge of the constitutional amendment, said a decision may not be reached this year as support for both options in the MPR seemed equally balanced.

'We may have to postpone making a decision until next annual session,' he said.