Nivell Rayda – Analysts on Sunday warned that Taufik Kiemas's successful bid to become chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly marked the end of the opposition in the country's democratic system.
Arbi Sanit, a political analyst from the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, said power-sharing was the motive behind Taufik's efforts to become chairman of the country's highest institution, which is also known as the MPR.
"Taufik's triumphant bid was virtually unopposed, with the winner already established before the actual election process even started," Arbi said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, the largest party in the House of Representatives (DPR), along with five of the Democratic Party's coalition partners and the Golkar Party, backed Taufik's candidacy.
Taufik was unanimously selected as leader of the assembly, while Hajrianto Tohari of the Golkar Party, Melani Lemeina Suharli of the Democrats, Lukman Hakim Saefuddin of the United Development Party (PPP) and Ahmad Farhan Hamid of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) were selected as Taufik's deputies.
"The composition ensures that all major parties are represented," Arbi said. "With the DPD making up half of the MPR, the DPD should have secured at least two seats."
Analyst Bima Arya Sugiarto, the executive director of Charta Politika, said that his private political consulting firm predicted that Yudhoyono's power-sharing strategy would again become evident in his choice of cabinet members.
"There might be one or two people from outside Yudhoyono's coalition who become ministers. This is a likely scenario, but the question remains whether they come from Golkar or the PDI-P," he said, referring to Taufik's political party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.
Taufik is a prominent businessman and the husband of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the chairwoman and founder of the PDI-P. Her relationship with Yudhoyono has been strained since the president, who served as one of her cabinet ministers, decided to run against her in the 2004 presidential election.
Arbi said Taufik's bid to form a coalition between the PDI-P and the Democrats before the legislative elections and his recent visit to congratulate Yudhoyono's presidential election victory showed that Taufik wanted to be a part of the new government.
The PDI-P's Budiman Sujatmiko said that Taufik's win did not mean that his party would emerge as an effective opposition voice. "Taufik's win should be seen separately from the party's position. The only person able to control the direction of the PDI-P is Megawati," Budiman said.
Only 25 DPD members took part in the MPR selection process, which DPD deputy chairman Laode Ida said was a sign of protest against political deal-making.