Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The death of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) patron Taufiq Kiemas will leave the party more centered on his widow, former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, political observers said.
Taufiq died in a Singapore hospital after battling heart problems on Saturday. He was buried in a state funeral led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta on Sunday.
Syamsudin Haris, a political observer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said that the absence of Taufiq could lead to significant changes within the PDI-P, with the party moving in a different direction. "The party will become more 'monotonous'," he said.
Taufiq, Megawati's third husband, often openly challenged policies made by the executive board of the PDI-P, which was led by Megawati.
Some of Taufiq's statements were quick to get media attention in spite of the fact that they gained little traction within the party. His statements and political moves, which at times also irked Megawati, Syamsuddin said, gave the impression that the PDI-P, the third-largest party in the House of Representatives, was riven with internal divisions.
"After his death, Megawati could have more freedom in determining the party's future trajectory, including its presidential bid in the 2014 general election," Syamsuddin said on Sunday.
Taufiq openly rejected the proposal to nominate popular Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in the 2014 presidential election, in spite of a hint from Megawati, the country's fourth president, that she would not run in the election and that the party needed a younger candidate in the race.
Taufiq also issued statements suggesting that his wife should not run again in 2014, citing her age as a reason. Megawati will be 67-years-old next year.
Hanta Yuda, the director of the Pol-Tracking Institute, credited Taufiq with giving the PDI-P its dynamism and color. He said that Taufiq gave the impression that the PDI-P was a "more democratic" party compared to other parties in the country. "After his death, I don't see any other PDI-P member who would be brave enough to openly oppose the party's policies like he [Taufiq did]," he said.
Under Megawati's leadership, the PDI-P made frequent political moves in the House, opposing the policies of Yudhoyono's administration. Some moves initiated by the PDI-P resulted in political turmoil.
In 2010, a prolonged and exhausting House inquiry into the US$689.52 million government bailout of Bank Century (now Bank Mutiara) resulted in a major blow to Yudhoyono's administration. The House concluded that the bailout involved irregularities that could have involved criminal acts.
The House bloc supporting the bailout lost a significant number of votes thanks to intensive lobbying by the PDI-P that managed to persuade three members of the governing coalition, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), and the Golkar Party to desert the bloc.
However, Taufiq made overtures that many interpreted as supporting Yudhoyono. He once said that he wanted to mend relations between the PDI-P and the Democratic Party. In 2009, when the Century inquiry was still ongoing, Taufiq said that the PDI-P was "interested" in joining the ruling coalition.
Hanta, however, said that the death of Taufiq would not affect how significant decisions would be made within the party.
"Taufiq's death will not significantly change the PDI-P in terms of policy making. It will only bring a different color to the party," he said. "As we know, the final decisions were still in the hands of Megawati. Were any of Taufiq's contrarian political desires eventually realized? None at all," Hanta said.
Political analyst from Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, Ari Dwipayana, also said that Taufiq's death would affect the party's internal dynamics.
"Taufiq accommodated the interests of some in the party by establishing communications with Yudhoyono," he said. "His moves were sometimes controversial but he actually acted as a counterbalance to Megawati's powerful authority within the party," he said.
Syamsuddin meanwhile said that Taufiq's death would reignite the debate within the PDI-P as to who would be the party's presidential candidate.
"After the death of her husband, there are two possibilities. Either Megawati will lose the appetite for the race because of her husband's death or she will be more confident about running now that no one will stop her from seeking a third bid," Syamsuddin said.