PDI-P likely to support Khofifah: Cleric

Wahyu Boediwardhana ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 10/06/2008 9:57 AM  |  East Java

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) will likely support governor hopeful Khofifah Indah Parawansa and her running mate Mudjiono in the second-round of East Java's gubernatorial elections as part of its goal of winning the 2009 presidential election, a senior cleric says.

Salahuddin Wahid, owner and director of Tebuireng Islamic boarding school in Jombang, said the PDI-P would not support the pair of Soekarwo and Saifullah Yusuf, nominated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, because Megawati Soekarnoputri, former president and chairperson of the PDI-P was popularly expected to duel Yudhoyono in next year's presidential election.

"Will SBY and Megawati meet for political negotiations on the gubernatorial election?," he said rhetorically after accompanying Khofifah on a pilgrimage to the grave of the once-influential cleric Munasir Ali in Mojokerto in Jakarta on Friday.

He said it would be beneficial for the PDI-P and Megawati to join forces with the United Development Party (PPP) to support Khofifah in the second-round, scheduled for Nov. 4.

The PDI-P and the Golkar Party, the candidates of which were defeated in the first-round, have yet to affiliate themselves with candidates for the second-round, although the two pairs of candidates have both claimed to have won the support of both parties.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in the country, is reported to be split in its affiliations, with NU Chairman Hasyim Muzadi declaring his support for Khofifah.

Salahuddin, deputy chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) said the PKB was also divided, but that the majority of its members had cast their votes for the Khofifah pairing.

"The fragmented PKB has a lot to do with the party's internal friction between its two camps of leadership," he said.

Khofifah said she planned to canvas all communities in the province in order to encourage the 38 percent of eligible voters who had not voted in the first-round to vote in the second.

"We will visit our constituents and all communities at the grassroots level, especially those that did not exercise their right to vote in the first-round. We will explain to them why they should exercise that right and about our programs to improve social welfare," she said.

Spokesman for the provincial chapter of the Golkar Party Heru Soekotjo said his party would soon determine which candidate it would support in the second-round to avoid friction among party members and supporters in the province.

"It is not wise to leave it (the choice) to party members at the grassroots level because it could cause friction among them. Therefore, the party will announce the pair it will support on Oct. 12," he said as quoted by Antara.

Chairman of the PDI-P's Surabaya branch Saleh Ismail Mukadar said his party would likely remain neutral in the second-round as the party remained undecided in its stance on the 2009 presidential elections and because many of its politicians had relations with PDI-P-nominated Suarwo.

"If the party chooses a side in the second-round, its members and supporters will likely become fragmented, resulting in clashes," he said.

In a related development, acting governor Setia Purwoko called on the two pairs of candidates, campaign teams and political parties to help maintain political stability on the eve of the election.

"Political frictions and clashes among candidate supporters will certainly result in political instability and economic disturbances. Whoever is elected will become our leader," he said at his official residence.

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