The Golkar Party, which dominated Indonesian politics under former dictator Suharto, may have lost this year's presidential election but it now controls the lion's share of important posts in the national parliament.
Reitred general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) won a landslide victory in the September 20 run-off presidential election against then-incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri, but his so-called 'People's Coalition' of five small parties controls just a fraction of the 550 seats in the House of Representatives.
Most of the House seats are held by parties belonging to the "National Coalition", which was formed to back Megawati's re-election bid. The principle parties of the National Coalition are: Golkar, which is the single largest party in parliament with 128 seats; and Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which holds 109 seats.
SBY's supporters have been wary of a Golkar/PDI-P takeover of the new parliament and voting on the leadership of the lower and upper chambers has been fraught with intense lobbying and backroom dealings.
In the end, Golkar succeeded in reasserting itself. Golkar stalwart Agung Laksono, who was youth and sports affairs minister under Suharto's handpicked successor B.J. Habibie, was elected DPR speaker earlier this month. Fellow Golkar veteran Ginandjar Kartasasmita, who held positions in five cabinets under Suharto and Habibie, was voted speaker of the 128-member Regional Representatives Council (DPD).
The DPR and DPD combine to form the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which meets annually and is the highest legislative body in the land, with the power to dismiss the president.
The SBY camp breathed a sigh of relief when Hidayat Nur Wahid, leader of the Islam-based reformist Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) that supported SBY at the presidential elections, was narrowly elected speaker of the MPR on October 6.
The final stage in the showdown over parliamentary leadership positions came to a head on Thursday when legislators covened to elect the new leaders and deputy leaders of the House commissions.
The five factions backing SBY in parliament had threatened to boycott the session, but House speaker Agung Laksono told reporters early Thursday that the parties had agreed to suspend the voting until Friday. He emerged later in the day, however, to announce that two commissions had nevertheless gone ahead and elected their leader and three deputies, reported detikcom.
Commission XI on finance was the first off the blocks. Following the decision on the leadership of the most "lucrative" commission, the other commissions subsequently fell into line.
By the close of Thursday's session, only Commission VIII had yet to decide on its new leader and three deputies. Two other commissions left deputy leadership positions vacant, but are set to fill the vacancies on Friday.
Golkar emerged with the largest number of commission leaders and deputies, followed by PDI-P, while SBY's own Democrat Party went without a place at all, despite holding 57 seats in the House.
Golkar managed to secure the leadership of five commissions and install a total of eight deputies on the 10 commissions that voted on Thursday. PDI-P, meanwhile, won leadership of four commissions and extended its reach into eight other commissions through the placement of deputies.
The National Awakening Party (PKB) of former president Abdurahman Wahid, which backed SBY over Megawati, emerged with one commission leader and a further nine deputies.
The National Mandate Party (PAN), which controls 52 seats – the same number as PKB – has two party members installed as deputy commission leaders. Interestingly, DPR deputy speaker Muhaimin Iskandar announced later that both Sujud Surojudin and Alvin Lee had not been nominated at the party's behest but had rather nominated themselves as individuals.
The Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), which controls 12 seats and joined the coalition that backed Mega, also has two deputy commission leaders.
The United Development Party (PPP) controls 57 seats but emerged without a single commission leader or deputy. Hidayat Nur Wahid's PKS also went without any representation on the commissions.
Following is a breakdown of the new leadership of the House commissions obtained from the detikcom news website late Thursday.
Commission I on defense, foreign affairs and information: Leader: Theo Sambuaga (Golkar) Deputy leaders: Sidharto Danusubroto (PDIP) Hajriyanto Tohari (Golkar) Effendy Choirie (PKB)
Commission II on internal government, regional autonomy, state apparatus and agrarian affairs: Leader: Ferry Mursyidan Baldan (Golkar) Deputy leaders: Alex Litay (PDIP) Ida Fauziah (PKB). One position undecided
Commission III on law, legislation, human rights and security: Leader: Teras Narang (PDIP) Deputy leaders: Akil Mochtar (Golkar) Taufikurrahman Saleh (PKB) Yosef Umar Hadi (PDIP) Commission VI on agricultural and plantation affairs: Leader: Mindo Sianipar (PDIP) Deputy leaders: Fahri Andi Leluasa (Golkar) Sujud Surojudin (PAN) Arifin Junaedi (PKB)
Commission V on transportation and communication: Leader: Sofyan Miledari (Golkar) Deputy leaders: Sumaryoto (PDIP) Erman Suparno (PKB). One position undecided
Commission VI on trade and industry: Leader: Kofifah Indar Parawangsa (PKB) Deputy leaders: Ade Komaruddin (Golkar) Irmadi Lubis (PDIP) Constan M Ponggawa (PDS)
Commission VII on human resources, research/technology and the environment: Leader: Agusman Efendi (Golkar) Deputy leaders: Sony Keraf (PDIP) Alvin Lee (PAN) Misbah Hidayat (PKB)
Commission VIII Voting suspended until Friday (29/10/04).
Commission IX on population, health and labor: Leader: Gunawan Slamet (PDIP) Deputy leaders: Ribka Tjiptaning (PDIP) Charles J Mesang (Golkar) Muhjidin Arubusman (PKB)
Commission X on education, sports, tourism and the arts: Leader: Heri Akhmadi (PDIP) Deputy leaders: Soeratal (PDIP) Anwar Arifin (Golkar) Masduki Badlawi (PKB)
Commission XI on finance: Leader: Paskah Suzeta (Golkar) Deputy leaders: Max Muin (PDIP) Ali Masykur Musa (PKB) Norman Siahaan (PDS)