Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri may prove a stumbling block in party mavericks’ attempt to cozy up to the ruling Democratic Party, PDI-P insiders claim.
The politicians told The Jakarta Post on Friday that a call for the party to ally with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Dems would be made at the PDI-P national caucus to be held in Bali from April 6-9, but said the final word would remain with the chairperson to be elected then most likely to be Megawati.
“The focus of discussion during the congress as relates to the coalition issue is whether the cooperation is driven by ideological or pragmatic reasons,” said the PDI-P’s Budiman Sudjatmiko.
“To date, Ibu Mega insists on maintaining the party’s opposition stance based on her ideological and political objections to the current government, which she says tends to ignore political integrity and self-sufficiency in its economic development strategies.”
Budiman added his take on the dynamics within the party’s grass roots was that most party faithfuls only shunned the ruling coalition on the principle of opposition.
Another PDI-P politician, Tubagus Hasanudin, said the party’s voters had long been conditioned to balk at any attempt to form a coalition with the ruling Democratic Party.
The coalition issue resurfaced following the implication of several serving and former PDI-P legislators in a bribery case related to the election of Miranda S. Goeltom as the Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor in 2004.
Veteran legislators Tjahjo Kumolo, Panda Nababan and Emir Moeis are among the PDI-P stalwarts alleged to have received bribes in the case, for which other legislators are already being tried.
Paramadina University political expert Yudi Latief said the bribery case would not be enough to force Megawati to align with the Democratic Party in a bid to get party members off the hook.
“Megawati will likely never allow the PDI-P to be part of the government,” he said.
Megawati has previously said she would disavow any PDI-P member proven guilty of taking a bribe, but insists none of them are corrupt.
Several PDI-P politicians previously hinted their interest in joining the ruling bloc.
Tjahjo, the PDI-P chairman at the House, said Thursday that recent developments, particularly the Bank Century bailout inquiry, clearly showed the fragility of Yudhoyono’s current coalition, which he said needed “revision”.
Close Yudhoyono aides have previously held talks with PDI-P leaders on a possible coalition between the two populist parties, but without result. The President has said he would evaluate the coalition’s viability following its failure to block the House’s inquiry into the Century bailout.
