Kalla congratulates SBY as coalition hunt begins

The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Sat, 04/11/2009 9:59 AM

Delayed democracy: A Polling Station Working Committee (KPPS) member holds up a ballot in a repeat legislative election in Nusukan subdistrict, Surakarta, Central Java, on Friday. The authorities cancelled the elections in Nusukan after realizing the ballots were invalid because they were designated for other regions. (Antara/Andika Betha)

Politicians got back to wheeling and dealing with potential allies Friday as the all-important task of forming coalitions for the presidential election got underway.

Symbolic meetings were abound as major parties assessed their losses and gains from Thursday's elections.

Reeling from a disappointing result, Vice President and Golkar Party chairman Jusuf Kalla effectively conceded his party’s “defeat” by personally congratulating President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after Friday prayers on the Democratic Party’s sweep of the polls.

“I was quite surprised,” said Yudhoyono after receiving Kalla’s telephone call.

Always one to put his enthusiasm in check, the President quickly qualified the conversation as a “communication between friends”.

Nevertheless, in the strongest hint yet of a possible reprise of the SBY-JK duo, the President admitted the brief talk was a good start.

When pressed further on the vice presidency, Yudhoyono refused to be specific.

“There is Pak JK, and there are also other candidates,” he remarked, stressing that the focus was now on forming a coalition based on a written agreement.

“The presidential and vice presidential candidate will be an extension of the coalition,” said Yudhoyono.

Based on the results of quick counts, so far only the Democratic Party can single-handedly meet the prerequisite for nominating a presidential candidate, which requires 20 percent of seats in the House of Representatives or 25 percent of all valid votes cast.

Ahead of the election, Kalla had bowed to party pressure by declaring himself ready to run as president. Other suspected major contenders for the presidency are Megawati Soekarnoputri from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), along with retired generals Prabowo Subianto from Gerindra and Wiranto from Hanura.

As the party leading the polls so far, Yudhoyono was very specific about the “rules based” parameters of the coalition he would like to form.

He said such a contract should be made public so the people themselves can control the workings of government.

He said he was disappointed with the weaknesses of the present coalition and the behavior of certain politicians.

“How can a minister, who is a member of the coalition, attack a government policy?” the President said.

“In any other country he would be [kicked] out!”

Yudhoyono insisted that his party was open to any coalition as long as a mutual commitment, irrespective of ideology, was reached.

“We will especially be looking toward those who have proven they can work effectively together”.

Separately, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) refused to commit on the idea of a coalition, with deputy secretary-general Zulkieflimansyah saying the party leadership had not made a decision despite an internal lean toward Yudhoyono’s party.

“Our supporters are inclined toward a coalition with the Democratic Party rather than PDI-P or Golkar,” he said to Antara from Serang, West Java.

A meeting was also held between Megawati and Wiranto, though the latter said their discussion focused on their dissatisfaction with the elections, which he claimed were rife with violations.