PKS-DEMOCRATIC PARTY COMMUNICATION ON COALITION STILL UNDERWAY

Jakarta, Apr 22 (ANTARA) - Political communication between the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party on a coalition is still underway and a common understadning between them may be reached soon, a PKS legislator said.
"There has been no obstacle whatsoever in the talks so far and an agreement with the Democratic Party on a coalition may be announced soon. But if serious constraints arise, and no agreement is reached, a change in our course will be unavoidable," the chairman of the PKS faction in the House of Representatives )DPR), Mahfudz Siddiq, said at the General Elections Commission (KPU) office here on Wednesday.

"We hope before April 25 no constraints will occur in the talks," he said.

Furthermore, Mahfudz said at present Team V of PKS and Team IX of the Democratic Party were discussing the strategic points to be specified in a political contract between the two parties.

The points in the political contract would focus on the agenda of policies and not on the presidential and vice presidential candidates to be supported.
He reiterated that PKS was not in a position to forward vice presidential hopeful to the Democratic Party. PKS would not want to meddle in the prerogative of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to pick his running mate for the presidential race in July this year.

"PKS will fully let Yudhoyono as the presidential candidate choose his running mate. After all, Yudhoyono has set five criteria which his running mate has to meet," he said.

"Four of the criteria, the PKS will be able to meet. But in the matter of chemistry or personal compatibility, it is Yudhoyono himself who knows best," he said, adding that with regard to a vice presidential candidate, the PKS had its own view.

According to Mahfudz, whoever wanted to accompany Yudhoyono in the presidential race should not have a double post in his/her capacity as the chairman of his/her party. This was only aimed to guarantee the effectiveness of the government in the future.

Not only that, PKS also wished for a binding and clear coalition, he said, adding that his party also needed to know the agreement between the Democratic Party and other parties, if any.

PKS needed to know if such agreements were on the same track as the political contract made with PKS. If there was any difference, further talks should be held, Mahfudz said.