DEMOCRATIC PARTY PREPARING "GOLDEN BRIDGE" FOR COALITION

Jakarta, March 20 (ANTARA) - A Democratic Party (PD) executive said his party would prepare "a golden bridge" for a coalition with other parties to support the reelection of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Speaking on the sidelines of a campaign rally for the legislative elections at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium here Friday, PD Associate Chairman Anas Urbaningrum said "we are thinking more about building a golden bridge for creating a strong government for the 2009-2014 period. The bridge will be built if the Democratic Party is able to meet its target of collecting 20 percent of the votes."
Previously, United Development Party (PPP) Chairman Suryadharma Ali and Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri had stated they were ready to build "a golden triangle coalition" with the Golkar Party.
Urbaningrum said, if the next administration was supported by a strong coalition, it would be able to work effectively and maximally for the people.
"The 20-percent vote-collecting target may also become part of the golden bridge for political cooperation with friendly parties for whom we will also be praying so that they will be able to win more votes than in the past," he said.
Urbaningrum said the coalition his party would form later would cover two fronts, namely the government, and the House of Representatives, to ensure the smooth running of the administration.
About the political parties the Democratic Party would seek to form a coaliton with, he said the PD would select them based on an assessment of their visions, ideologies and viewpoints on Indonesia's future interests, particularly in reletion with President Yudhoyono's reelection.
"We are optimistic we will be able to sit together with some parties we have already met to talk on a more concrete political cooperation," he said.
Anas said his party had not felt intimidated by the "golden triangle coalition" the PPP and PDIP leaders had talked about.
"We respect all parties. Right now no coalition has been formed yet as Golkar and PPP are still part of the current government. But we will just wait until after the legislative election to see if the 'golden triangle coalition' will really materialze," he said.
At the PD campaign rally, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who is the party's advisory board chairman, called on the people to choose a party that had really proven capable of implementing pro-people programs.