Robert Go, Seminyak – In the wake of criticism, Indonesia's major political parties began retracting their demands for a re-election yesterday.

Spearheaded by the National Awakening Party (PKB), the political vehicle of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, representatives of 19 parties held the General Elections Commission (KPU) responsible for the vote-rigging and irregularities last week.

Their spokesman Adnan Buyung Nasutian was quoted by local media as saying: "Due to rampant irregularities before and after the elections, we reject the election results and demand they be nullified." But yesterday many were moderating their positions as the demands had come in for sharp criticism.

Said Vice-President Hamzah Haz in Jakarta yesterday: "This is not yet the time. Perhaps it would be different after the final tally has been announced." Mr Hamzah, whose United Development Party (PPP) was part of the so-called 19 member coalition, said: "For the PPP, whatever result will be deemed as the best result."

Other party leaders, including those who earlier criticised the election process and hinted they might lodge protests with KPU, have also distanced themselves from the demands.

Mr Alwi Shihab, former foreign minister and current leader of PKB, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday that earlier statements from politicians merely represented "a wake-up call" for the KPU. The PKB itself has yet to formally come out with a statement.

On Saturday, Mr Abdurrahman had accused the KPU of becoming a tool of the largest political parties, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and Golkar.

Mr Cholil Bisri, a deputy speaker of Indonesia's highest legislative body MPR, believes the demands for a re-election was a bid by the parties to strengthen their bargaining positions, as a coalition seems a certainty.

"Small and medium political parties are trying to get a start on the bargaining process. This is common, and is aimed at getting certain accommodations." Though he did not specify, he was clearly hinting at the fact that smaller parties would wish to try and influence how the bigger parties pair up for presidential and vice-presidential tickets.

The demands of the 19 parties were seen to be unrealistic and no analyst thought the KPU would seriously consider a nationwide re-election process.

KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin said such demands on the KPU were insults to the estimated five million Indonesians who worked on the elections.

He said: "They are speaking without concrete proof of wrongdoing, and blaming others for their own failures. Just because they can't dance, they're saying the dance floor is uneven and at fault."