Sukarno legacy in doubt as Megawati loses

JAKARTA – The victory of a former general in Indonesia’s presidential elections may spell the end of the political dynasty founded by the nation’s revered first president, Sukarno, almost 60 years ago.

With no immediate heir apparent to Sukarno’s daughter, incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri, one of Indonesia’s most prominent and influential families may soon find itself relegated to the fringes of political life, away from the pomp and limelight the former housewife basked in. “Megawati has suffered enormous political trauma with her defeat,” said Greg Barton, a political analyst from Australia’s Deakin University.”The big question is whether the Sukarno family will remain a prominent political force.If they start fighting among themselves, they will lose momentum and disappear.”Megawati squandered the immense popularity that she inherited from her father.With more than 100 million of the estimated 125 million ballots counted by late Wednesday, her former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had an unassailable lead with 61 per cent of the vote, compared to Megawati’s 39 per cent.AFFECTIONStill, there is much affection for the Sukarno family, in contrast to the widely detested offspring of Suharto who abused his office to amass a fortune estimated at several billion dollars.And Megawati is not being forced out of politics altogether.She remains head of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle or PDIP – the second largest grouping in parliament – and could play an important role in coming years.Her party, however, is scrambling to regroup after a series of electoral reversals, and Megawati herself has not announced her plans.Sukarno led Indonesia’s struggle for independence from Dutch colonial rule from 1945-49 and went on to become its first president.He was admired for his concern for the poor and his non-aligned foreign policy which gave the emerging nation enhanced status throughout the world.He was overthrown by General Suharto in a US-backed coup in 1966.Despite a ban on political opposition, Megawati’s party rose to prominence in the waning days of Suharto’s 32-year-rule on a wave of pro-democracy protests centred on Sukarno’s popularity.Suharto was forced to resign in 1998 and the following year, Megawati’s party emerged as the largest in the country’s first, free legislative elections after the collapse of the dictatorship.A QUESTION OF LEGACYEven though the 57-year-old Megawati faces an electoral catastrophe, members of her party say they still need someone from the Sukarno clan at its helm.”Sukarno was the romantic revolutionary hero of almost mythical proportions in Indonesia.He is still the party’s great attraction,” said Subagio Anom, a senior PDIP official.”We still need the family name but we’re not sure how to go on.”But analysts say none of the other children of the leader who died under house arrest in 1970 appear ambitious or charismatic enough to accept the torch of political leadership.Megawati’s sisters, Rachmawati and Sukmawati, head small opposing parties and her daughter, Puan Maharani, is seen as too young and too inexperienced.Her husband, Taufik Kiemas, widely regarded as overbearing and meddlesome, was one of her administration’s worst political liabilities.However, observers agree that Sukarno’s legacy of secular nationalism will endure.”Yudhoyono is cut from the same ideological cloth,” said Douglas Ramage from the US-funded pro-democracy organisation The Asia Foundation.”The strong secular nationalist legacy that Sukarno bequeathed to the country has survived in him and is shared by many in the nation.”And if any of Megawati’s children do consider a political career, there remain plenty of voters willing to give them a chance – if only because of their last name.”I love Sukarno.He was Indonesia’s greatest son,” said Wahyu Iskandar, a 46-year-old construction worker.”I will vote for him and for his family as long as I live.They stand for my ideals.”- Nampa-AP”Megawati has suffered enormous political trauma with her defeat,” said Greg Barton, a political analyst from Australia’s Deakin University.”The big question is whether the Sukarno family will remain a prominent political force.If they start fighting among themselves, they will lose momentum and disappear.”Megawati squandered the immense popularity that she inherited from her father.With more than 100 million of the estimated 125 million ballots counted by late Wednesday, her former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had an unassailable lead with 61 per cent of the vote, compared to Megawati’s 39 per cent.AFFECTIONStill, there is much affection for the Sukarno family, in contrast to the widely detested offspring of Suharto who abused his office to amass a fortune estimated at several billion dollars.And Megawati is not being forced out of politics altogether.She remains head of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle or PDIP – the second largest grouping in parliament – and could play an important role in coming years.Her party, however, is scrambling to regroup after a series of electoral reversals, and Megawati herself has not announced her plans.Sukarno led Indonesia’s struggle for independence from Dutch colonial rule from 1945-49 and went on to become its first president.He was admired for his concern for the poor and his non-aligned foreign policy which gave the emerging nation enhanced status throughout the world.He was overthrown by General Suharto in a US-backed coup in 1966.Despite a ban on political opposition, Megawati’s party rose to prominence in the waning days of Suharto’s 32-year-rule on a wave of pro-democracy protests centred on Sukarno’s popularity.Suharto was forced to resign in 1998 and the following year, Megawati’s party emerged as the largest in the country’s first, free legislative elections after the collapse of the dictatorship.A QUESTION OF LEGACYEven though the 57-year-old Megawati faces an electoral catastrophe, members of her party say they still need someone from the Sukarno clan at its helm.”Sukarno was the romantic revolutionary hero of almost mythical proportions in Indonesia.He is still the party’s great attraction,” said Subagio Anom, a senior PDIP official.”We still need the family name but we’re not sure how to go on.”But analysts say none of the other children of the leader who died under house arrest in 1970 appear ambitious or charismatic enough to accept the torch of political leadership.Megawati’s sisters, Rachmawati and Sukmawati, head small opposing parties and her daughter, Puan Maharani, is seen as too young and too inexperienced.Her husband, Taufik Kiemas, widely regarded as overbearing and meddlesome, was one of her administration’s worst political liabilities.However, observers agree that Sukarno’s legacy of secular nationalism will endure.”Yudhoyono is cut from the same ideological cloth,” said Douglas Ramage from the US-funded pro-democracy organisation The Asia Foundation.”The strong secular nationalist legacy that Sukarno bequeathed to the country has survived in him and is shared by many in the nation.”And if any of Megawati’s children do consider a political career, there remain plenty of voters willing to give them a chance – if only because of their last name.”I love Sukarno.He was Indonesia’s greatest son,” said Wahyu Iskandar, a 46-year-old construction worker.”I will vote for him and for his family as long as I live.They stand for my ideals.”- Nampa-AP