I waited with a bated breath for this moment, as one of two possible reactions of Try's Presidential Decisions on the last entry is: Try has make another hubris and would drew criticism, admittedly since part of me thinks that it was too soon (i redacted this word on my last comment back then) and another part of me assuages me that this is just appropriate. The other reaction is that this would secure victory for not just the 2003 MPR Session, but the eventual 2006 Elections.9th March 2003:
Good one, Gus Dur!The last one to emerge was Chairman of the Group Delegates Nurcholish Madjid and microphones were thrust in his face, asking him how the Group Delegates would approach this round of voting. Nurcholish said that in the previous two rounds, despite stating that they will remain impartial in practice MPR Delegates belonging to the Group Delegates have voted or have been persuaded to vote for either one of the presidential candidates. The number of those who have remained impartial are decreasing.
“I have abstained in the previous two rounds of voting but for this round, I think a different approach is required”, Nurcholish said “I want to state on the record that I feel this Government has done well, it took us out the Asian Financial Crisis, it’s built infrastructure and increased living standards. My choice to abstain has been because of my stance that someone has to remain impartial not because I don’t recognize what has been achieved.
I had expected for the vote to be settled in the previous two rounds, but it evidently hasn’t. In the last 24 hours however, my thoughts keep coming back to the following three things. The first is my opinion on how the Government has fared in the last years, which I have just stated. The second thing is the fact that in the event of no candidates achieving enough votes to be declared elected, the President will no longer be allowed to nominate because new candidates would have to be nominated in accordance with the latest MPR Resolution on how the presidential and vice presidential is to be conducted.
The third and final thing, there are those who are abstaining not because they want to remain impartial but for political reasons…because they want to bring about a political outcome. I think the given the political reasons for this, these abstentions should not go unpunished.
For this round of voting, I intend not to remain impartial and cast my vote. I would ask others in the Group Delegates who have yet to cast a vote in the previous rounds to cast their vote in this round of voting.”
As i have said before, more than one mouths gasped.---
At the Presidential Palace, President Try Sutrisno presided over a ceremony in which he swore in the following:
*Marzuki Darusman SH as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marzuki will continue to retain his existing position as Minister of Legal Affairs
*Lt. Gen. Albert Inkiriwang as Acting Governor of Lemhanas
It was a short ceremony with just enough cameras to cover it because most of the cameramen had departed for the MPR Building.
BRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!On the Group Delegates’ bus, where the ceremony was being shown on the bus’ television set, Ginandjar Kartasasmita scoffed quietly. That he had not been informed of this event and the appointment of Marzuki, who had intruded on foreign policy and clashed with Ginandjar, meant that it was calculated to embarrass and humiliate him.
“Salah sendiri, pakai main dua kaki segala *nose twitch*”, a voice from elsewhere on the bus was heard saying.
Aaaasss expected lolIn the PKPB bus, Chairman of the PKPB’s MPR Delegation Prabowo Subianto had thrown down his mobile phone so hard it had shattered into pieces when he saw that the ceremony will also involve the swearing in of the Acting Governor of Lemhanas. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his band of followers had been caught out and that meant that Chairwoman of the PKPB Tutut Soeharto could no longer be rely on their votes.
Well yeah. I hope he enjoyed his time in either Wamena or Yahukimo next. I hope he can maximise those "Hearts and Minds" missions to put him back on the spotlight, but maybe not too much he can do right now since i believe OPM has been softened enough with more and more physical development there (albeit maybe not too much on the mountains), and also more and more Papuans involved in the central-level national development. Of course, the ISA are still there, lurking....In the ABRI bus, Yudhoyono watched with a dejected expression. No one had come to his defense when Commander of ABRI Wiranto announced that he had been dismissed as Governor of Lemhanas. The others caught the message loud and clear that he was being made an example of and that they must fall in line and vote for the Pesident.
“I should just not care and still not vote for him, I have nothing to lose, right?” muttered Yudhoyono.
“Mas Bambang, there’s still my career, there’s still Pramono’s career”, said Yudhoyono’s seat buddy, brother-in-law and Inspector General of the Army Erwin Sudjono “And there’s still Agus’ career.”
Yudhoyono shuddered at the thought of the President going after the military careers of his two brothers-in-law and his son. He still had something to lose after all.
Yeah. His decisions right there would spark debates i believe. And those who are PNI-aligned would have a big time on this one.---
At the Presidential Palace, Edi, Marzuki, and Albert Inkiriwang had departed together for the MPR Building in Edi’s official vehicle. The President headed for his private quarters though reporters were keen to get a word from him. Their curiosity why he replaced Ginandjar and Yudhoyono outweighed such questions such as how he felt moments before the MPR decides on his fate.
“I want to be sure whether I have 2 days or 2 months or 2 years or 2 terms as president, that those who I appoint are those I am convinced are on my side, not those openly trying to establish a political relationship with my opponents”, the President replied “The bloody details of the story I’m sure you enterprising reporters and journalists will find out after the MPR General Session, but for now I’d like to be somewhere quiet to watch what’s happening in the MPR. As you all are no doubt aware, my fate is being decided.”
Let's go!---
At the MPR Building’s VIP Room, Chairman of the MPR Matori Abdul Djalil looked around at his vice chairmen of the MPR and wondered whether their moods were symbolic of their respective delegations.
Basofi Sudirman (PKPI) was quietly confident while Hartono (PKPB) for once looked dejected rather than looking like someone who was taking it for granted that they will win. Alex Litaay (PNI) was at once determined but ready to crumble at anytime. Nyoman Suwisma (ABRI) looked like he did not get a lot of sleep. Mario Carrascalao (Regional Delegates) seemed prepared for all eventualities while Edwin Soeryadjaya (Group Delegates) looked ready and keen to do something in the voting process rather than sit it out like on previous occasions.
Matori himself felt resolute just as the pro-Try PPP felt resolute, their 68 votes having not wavered despite approaches from the Tutut camp via Hamzah Haz and also by the Chairwoman of the PNI Megawati Soekarnoputri’s camp.
“Mr. Chairman”, an aide called in “The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, the State Secretary, and the Acting Governor of Lemhanas has arrived and sat down. Everyone’s taken their seats.”
“Let’s do this, then”, Matori said.
Get well soon.There was little drama as the MPR Delegates cast their votes. The KPU staff in charge of overseeing proceedings had once again become more efficient and the voting process, while still taking time because of the amount of delegates, was quicker than in the previous round. There was a collective gasp when Amirul Isnaeni from the ABRI Delegation fainted after he had cast his ballot. A team of paramedics came in and checked on his condition while Wiranto, TB Hasanuddin, and Ryamizard Ryacudu rose from their seats and watched over Amirul. Not long thereafter, Amirul was put on a gurney and taken outside of the MPR room, the explanation being that he had not been well for a few days but had insisted on continuing to participate in the MPR General Session.
Next time, PNI. As long as Hendro is still there.Megawati cast her vote with one eye behind her back. She was concerned that Nurcholish’s words along with the jeers of the other MPR Delegates when the votes were counted in the last round was beginning to have an effect on her followers. Her party consisted of those who had marched with her from the days that Soeharto tried to prevent her election as Chairwoman of the PDI right through the dark days after she had her party headquarters forcibly taken from her as well as activists who had stood up against the New Order and held the opinion that there was no difference between Soeharto and Try Sutrisno.
Now they were following a strategy that had been suggested by Chairman of Muhammadiyah Amien Rais and approved by her husband Taufiq Kiemas. The strategy has been quiet successful so far, catching the entire MPR General Session unawares and putting Megawati in a position where she’s one inconclusive round of voting away from seeing the President and Tutut take each other out, leaving the way open for her to nominate for the presidency when the MPR asks for new candidates.
The price to pay had been demoralized followers. The consensus throughout the PNI Delegation during MPR General Session was that what is being done is necessary but whether it was idealistic and in keeping with the spirit of their struggle was another thing. Taufiq Kiemas had cynically countered that this objection had not stopped the PNI’s delegates from cheering when another round of vote had resulted with no winners.
As Megawati returned to her seat, Chairman of the PNI’s MPR Delegation Sutjipto, Kwik Kian Gie, Sabam Sirait and Sidarto Danusubroto tried to put on a brave face while Treasurer of the PNI Laksamana Sukardi and Roy BB Janis looked they're not enjoying the reaction.
You'll get the seat, dude. I really hope you can use it to be a truly constructive force of the nation in the rightwing's side instead of just an hotbed for the rightwing extrimists.---
As the count got underway, Treasurer of the PKPB Akbar Tandjung nervously followed it, drawing his own tally. He looked around at the other PKPB delegates that had decided to go along with what he was doing. They had become more confident with the news that Yudhoyono had been caught out and that in all likelihood, he and his supporters would not be voting for Tutut; it made it seem more likely that they were backing the winning horse. But Akbar was nervous nevertheless.
Akbar pretended to be interested in what Chairwoman of the PKPB Tutut Soeharto was doing.
Quoting Dave Norton:She was surrounded in her seat by Prabowo, Secretary of the PKPB ZA Maulani and the PPP’s Hamzah Haz. There was a guest there too. In what looked to be a gesture of defiance, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, now a part of the Group Delegate without being minister of foreign affairs, made a show of walking over from his seat among the Group Delegates to sit with Tutut.
“Well, we hope that after Cak Nur’s speech that some of the Group Delegates will cast their vote for me”, Tutut said to Ginandjar “But if that should not prove enough, I hope that I can fall back on our arrangement.”
Akbar nodded as though interested. The discussion was about strategy. Tutut said that given Ginandjar will be the presidential candidate the PKPB will support, the vice presidential candidate must be from the PKPB. Ginandjar agreed to this. They also discussed about how the PPP’s support will be important and Hamzah said that all of the PPP votes should be available beause there will be no more obligation to support the President if the President can no longer nominate.
But something interrupted Tutut’s little discussion. The MPR Building had been largely silent as the count got underway but noise was slowly building…
“It’s getting louder”, Prabowo said “What’s happening?”
Tutut listened. As far as she was concerned, there were only three possibilities for her that day. The first was that she would win and be elected as the fourth President of the Republic of Indonesia but this was a possibility that was getting less likely every minute. The second was that both she and her opponent would not get enough votes, at which point the MPR would require new candidates be nominated; for which she had already agreed to support Ginandjar, a possibility that had become more likely.
But now it seemed like it was the third possibility that she had considered that was happening…
“They’re cheering for Mas Try each time a vote is counted in his favor”, Tutut realized.
Well, even though no one is home, i still have neighbors too. So yeah. *loudly claps*During the vote counting, the abstentions were now being openly booed out of the perception and suspicion that such votes belonged to the PNI. It was clear though that there will be less abstentions in the current round of the voting. But the boos were cast aside in favor of cheers as the votes for the President sped ahead and as the votes for Tutut stalled.
“It’s not real until it’s happened”, Edi Sudrajat said.
“Oh yes it is,”, Chairman of the PKPI’s MPR Delegation Harsudiono Hartas countered “We got 461 votes last time, we crossed that mark a long time ago…”
As the vote counter announced another vote for Try Sutrisno, the PKPI Delegates erupted in loud cheers. Various PKPI delegates who had kept the count, as though updating each other, whispered excitedly “500..500..just one more”.
Then another piece of paper was picked out of the ballot box, opened, and held in front of the vote counter. He only just barely finished saying “Try…” when a even louder cheer erupted.
*sharply saluted*---
The President was watching all this on television with First Lady Tuti Setiawati. The PKPI Delegates seemed to be in pandemonium as Matori banged the gavel calling for silence and trying to keep the MPR Session under control causing the President to laugh in amusement.
There was a knock on the door and Presidential Aide-de-Camp Budiman walked in with a piece of paper. He said that there is a message for Tuti that has to be passed on to her. The President allowed it, still focused on what’s happening on television.
Tuti took the piece of paper from Budiman and read it. In it was a tally that Budiman had kept and it showed that as of the last vote counted, the President had reached 501 votes. Tuti smiled a motherly smile at Budiman, she realized that Budiman did not want to be the first to congratulate the President. And then she turned around, wrapped her arms around the President and kissed him on the cheek.
“I’m so proud of you, I really am”, Tuti told her husband.
“Wait, what the hell’s going on?” asked the President.
Budiman then bowed his head as he shook the President’s hand, behind him Military Secretary Saurip Kadi, Commander of the Presidential Bodyguard Nono Sampono and the Presidential Bodyguards on duty also came in the room to shake the President’s hand.
So close, yet so far, Bambang....---
“The count has been completed”, the vote counter announced over all the noise.
The delegates from the Group Delegates looked relieved that the process was now over though here and there, those who had obviously voted for the President revealed themselves by the fact that they were shaking hands with each other. The Regional Delegates also looked similarly relieved that everything was now over. The ABRI Delegates crowded around Wiranto as he instructed them to return to their day jobs and begin “wrapping things up” because his commandership will come to an end soon.
I really hope you guys can be more constructive next time, as you are the official Left Opposition, after all....The PNI delegates looked demoralized with Megawati crying and holding on tightly to a tissue in her hand, Taufiq Kiemas trying to comfort her.
There goes your "interests", bahahahahahahaTutut was more stoic and smiled as she turned around and shook hands with her supporters.
*raised eyebrow*The chatter quietened down.
“There are first and foremost, 96 abstentions in this round of voting”, Matori announced to a mixed reaction of applause that the number had gone down and some scattered boos that abstentions were still happening.
“Now moving on the presidential candidates”, Matori said “Firstly, with 328 votes: Mrs. Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.”
Tutut bowed her head as her supporters applauded her with tears in their faces. Matori waited until the applause died down.
Well, well, thanks for the ride so far. I really got emotional this time around.....“With 576 votes: Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno”, Matori announced to more applause and cheers as Matori continued on “As such, Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno has obtained a majority of the votes in the MPR.”
More applause.
“Therefore, in accordance with the duties entrusted to the MPR in our constitution”, Matori continued “I hereby declare Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno elected as the President of the Republic of Indonesia for the term 2003-2008!”
Nurcholish is no longer abstaining...9th March 2003:
Being at Borobudur Hotel, the hotel furthest away from the MPR Building, the Group Delegates was the first scheduled to depart. A large bus waited just in front lobby. The last one to emerge was Chairman of the Group Delegates Nurcholish Madjid and microphones were thrust in his face, asking him how the Group Delegates would approach this round of voting. Nurcholish said that in the previous two rounds, despite stating that they will remain impartial in practice MPR Delegates belonging to the Group Delegates have voted or have been persuaded to vote for either one of the presidential candidates. The number of those who have remained impartial are decreasing.
“I have abstained in the previous two rounds of voting but for this round, I think a different approach is required”, Nurcholish said “I want to state on the record that I feel this Government has done well, it took us out the Asian Financial Crisis, it’s built infrastructure and increased living standards. My choice to abstain has been because of my stance that someone has to remain impartial not because I don’t recognize what has been achieved.
I had expected for the vote to be settled in the previous two rounds, but it evidently hasn’t. In the last 24 hours however, my thoughts keep coming back to the following three things. The first is my opinion on how the Government has fared in the last years, which I have just stated. The second thing is the fact that in the event of no candidates achieving enough votes to be declared elected, the President will no longer be allowed to nominate because new candidates would have to be nominated in accordance with the latest MPR Resolution on how the presidential and vice presidential is to be conducted.
The third and final thing, there are those who are abstaining not because they want to remain impartial but for political reasons…because they want to bring about a political outcome. I think the given the political reasons for this, these abstentions should not go unpunished.
For this round of voting, I intend not to remain impartial and cast my vote. I would ask others in the Group Delegates who have yet to cast a vote in the previous rounds to cast their vote in this round of voting.”
Try decided to really rub it in, although I do wonder if they are staying in this job...---
At the Presidential Palace, President Try Sutrisno presided over a ceremony in which he swore in the following:
*Marzuki Darusman SH as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marzuki will continue to retain his existing position as Minister of Legal Affairs
*Lt. Gen. Albert Inkiriwang as Acting Governor of Lemhanas
It was a short ceremony with just enough cameras to cover it because most of the cameramen had departed for the MPR Building.
Yeah...Ginandjar is perhaps regretting his choices---
On the Group Delegates’ bus, where the ceremony was being shown on the bus’ television set, Ginandjar Kartasasmita scoffed quietly. That he had not been informed of this event and the appointment of Marzuki, who had intruded on foreign policy and clashed with Ginandjar, meant that it was calculated to embarrass and humiliate him.
“Salah sendiri, pakai main dua kaki segala *nose twitch*”, a voice from elsewhere on the bus was heard saying.
The mobile phone should have been disabled yesterday...---
In the PKPB bus, Chairman of the PKPB’s MPR Delegation Prabowo Subianto had thrown down his mobile phone so hard it had shattered into pieces when he saw that the ceremony will also involve the swearing in of the Acting Governor of Lemhanas. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his band of followers had been caught out and that meant that Chairwoman of the PKPB Tutut Soeharto could no longer be rely on their votes.
Yeah....I think their careers might already been tainted by SBY actions, since in the short term, the most well known things SBY done is this kerfuffle...---
In the ABRI bus, Yudhoyono watched with a dejected expression. No one had come to his defense when Commander of ABRI Wiranto announced that he had been dismissed as Governor of Lemhanas. The others caught the message loud and clear that he was being made an example of and that they must fall in line and vote for the Pesident.
“I should just not care and still not vote for him, I have nothing to lose, right?” muttered Yudhoyono.
“Mas Bambang, there’s still my career, there’s still Pramono’s career”, said Yudhoyono’s seat buddy, brother-in-law and Inspector General of the Army Erwin Sudjono “And there’s still Agus’ career.”
Yudhoyono shuddered at the thought of the President going after the military careers of his two brothers-in-law and his son. He still had something to lose after all.
Not gonna lie...I am worried that this is related to something much more disturbing that would in turn becoming a clusterfuck...but it turn out to be something else... I do wonder with the current economy and health situation, would Jakarta have some decent place to do a organ transplant that is on a level as Singapore by now ITTL.---
At the Presidential Palace, Edi, Marzuki, and Albert Inkiriwang had departed together for the MPR Building in Edi’s official vehicle. The President headed for his private quarters though reporters were keen to get a word from him. Their curiosity why he replaced Ginandjar and Yudhoyono outweighed such questions such as how he felt moments before the MPR decides on his fate.
“I want to be sure whether I have 2 days or 2 months or 2 years or 2 terms as president, that those who I appoint are those I am convinced are on my side, not those openly trying to establish a political relationship with my opponents”, the President replied “The bloody details of the story I’m sure you enterprising reporters and journalists will find out after the MPR General Session, but for now I’d like to be somewhere quiet to watch what’s happening in the MPR. As you all are no doubt aware, my fate is being decided.”
---
At the MPR Building’s VIP Room, Chairman of the MPR Matori Abdul Djalil looked around at his vice chairmen of the MPR and wondered whether their moods were symbolic of their respective delegations.
Basofi Sudirman (PKPI) was quietly confident while Hartono (PKPB) for once looked dejected rather than looking like someone who was taking it for granted that they will win. Alex Litaay (PNI) was at once determined but ready to crumble at anytime. Nyoman Suwisma (ABRI) looked like he did not get a lot of sleep. Mario Carrascalao (Regional Delegates) seemed prepared for all eventualities while Edwin Soeryadjaya (Group Delegates) looked ready and keen to do something in the voting process rather than sit it out like on previous occasions.
Matori himself felt resolute just as the pro-Try PPP felt resolute, their 68 votes having not wavered despite approaches from the Tutut camp via Hamzah Haz and also by the Chairwoman of the PNI Megawati Soekarnoputri’s camp.
“Mr. Chairman”, an aide called in “The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, the State Secretary, and the Acting Governor of Lemhanas has arrived and sat down. Everyone’s taken their seats.”
“Let’s do this, then”, Matori said.
---
It was very late in the afternoon and the amount of time it took for all 1000 delegates to cast their votes and then have it counted, the vote-counting process was certain to become Sunday night “dinner entertainment” for the nation. Whereever there was a television, it seemed, the screen was adjusted to the MPR General Session.
Matori had not wasted his time, for within 5 minutes of sitting down after the national anthem had been played the MPR Delegates were once again called up to the front one-by-one to cast their vote and then put the ballot paper in the ballot box.
There was little drama as the MPR Delegates cast their votes. The KPU staff in charge of overseeing proceedings had once again become more efficient and the voting process, while still taking time because of the amount of delegates, was quicker than in the previous round. There was a collective gasp when Amirul Isnaeni from the ABRI Delegation fainted after he had cast his ballot. A team of paramedics came in and checked on his condition while Wiranto, TB Hasanuddin, and Ryamizard Ryacudu rose from their seats and watched over Amirul. Not long thereafter, Amirul was put on a gurney and taken outside of the MPR room, the explanation being that he had not been well for a few days but had insisted on continuing to participate in the MPR General Session.
Yup....Megawati cast her vote with one eye behind her back. She was concerned that Nurcholish’s words along with the jeers of the other MPR Delegates when the votes were counted in the last round was beginning to have an effect on her followers. Her party consisted of those who had marched with her from the days that Soeharto tried to prevent her election as Chairwoman of the PDI right through the dark days after she had her party headquarters forcibly taken from her as well as activists who had stood up against the New Order and held the opinion that there was no difference between Soeharto and Try Sutrisno.
Now they were following a strategy that had been suggested by Chairman of Muhammadiyah Amien Rais and approved by her husband Taufiq Kiemas. The strategy has been quiet successful so far, catching the entire MPR General Session unawares and putting Megawati in a position where she’s one inconclusive round of voting away from seeing the President and Tutut take each other out, leaving the way open for her to nominate for the presidency when the MPR asks for new candidates.
The price to pay had been demoralized followers. The consensus throughout the PNI Delegation during MPR General Session was that what is being done is necessary but whether it was idealistic and in keeping with the spirit of their struggle was another thing. Taufiq Kiemas had cynically countered that this objection had not stopped the PNI’s delegates from cheering when another round of vote had resulted with no winners.
As Megawati returned to her seat, Chairman of the PNI’s MPR Delegation Sutjipto, Kwik Kian Gie, Sabam Sirait and Sidarto Danusubroto tried to put on a brave face while Treasurer of the PNI Laksamana Sukardi and Roy BB Janis looked they're not enjoying the reaction.
And then the moment everyone was expecting for. The master of ceremonies announced that all of the MPR Delegates had voted, the ballot box was collected and the scrutineers summoned.
“You may begin the count”, Matori instructed.
“Here we go”, Harsudiono Hartas.
---
As the count got underway, Treasurer of the PKPB Akbar Tandjung nervously followed it, drawing his own tally. He looked around at the other PKPB delegates that had decided to go along with what he was doing. They had become more confident with the news that Yudhoyono had been caught out and that in all likelihood, he and his supporters would not be voting for Tutut; it made it seem more likely that they were backing the winning horse. But Akbar was nervous nevertheless.
Akbar pretended to be interested in what Chairwoman of the PKPB Tutut Soeharto was doing. She was surrounded in her seat by Prabowo, Secretary of the PKPB ZA Maulani and the PPP’s Hamzah Haz. There was a guest there too. In what looked to be a gesture of defiance, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, now a part of the Group Delegate without being minister of foreign affairs, made a show of walking over from his seat among the Group Delegates to sit with Tutut.
“Well, we hope that after Cak Nur’s speech that some of the Group Delegates will cast their vote for me”, Tutut said to Ginandjar “But if that should not prove enough, I hope that I can fall back on our arrangement.”
Akbar nodded as though interested. The discussion was about strategy. Tutut said that given Ginandjar will be the presidential candidate the PKPB will support, the vice presidential candidate must be from the PKPB. Ginandjar agreed to this. They also discussed about how the PPP’s support will be important and Hamzah said that all of the PPP votes should be available beause there will be no more obligation to support the President if the President can no longer nominate.
But something interrupted Tutut’s little discussion. The MPR Building had been largely silent as the count got underway but noise was slowly building…
“It’s getting louder”, Prabowo said “What’s happening?”
Tutut listened. As far as she was concerned, there were only three possibilities for her that day. The first was that she would win and be elected as the fourth President of the Republic of Indonesia but this was a possibility that was getting less likely every minute. The second was that both she and her opponent would not get enough votes, at which point the MPR would require new candidates be nominated; for which she had already agreed to support Ginandjar, a possibility that had become more likely.
But now it seemed like it was the third possibility that she had considered that was happening…
“They’re cheering for Mas Try each time a vote is counted in his favor”, Tutut realized.
---
During the vote counting, the abstentions were now being openly booed out of the perception and suspicion that such votes belonged to the PNI. It was clear though that there will be less abstentions in the current round of the voting. But the boos were cast aside in favor of cheers as the votes for the President sped ahead and as the votes for Tutut stalled.
“It’s not real until it’s happened”, Edi Sudrajat said.
“Oh yes it is,”, Chairman of the PKPI’s MPR Delegation Harsudiono Hartas countered “We got 461 votes last time, we crossed that mark a long time ago…”
As the vote counter announced another vote for Try Sutrisno, the PKPI Delegates erupted in loud cheers. Various PKPI delegates who had kept the count, as though updating each other, whispered excitedly “500..500..just one more”.
Then another piece of paper was picked out of the ballot box, opened, and held in front of the vote counter. He only just barely finished saying “Try…” when a even louder cheer erupted.
So there are 12 abstentions from outside of PNI, but that did not really matter---
The President was watching all this on television with First Lady Tuti Setiawati. The PKPI Delegates seemed to be in pandemonium as Matori banged the gavel calling for silence and trying to keep the MPR Session under control causing the President to laugh in amusement.
There was a knock on the door and Presidential Aide-de-Camp Budiman walked in with a piece of paper. He said that there is a message for Tuti that has to be passed on to her. The President allowed it, still focused on what’s happening on television.
Tuti took the piece of paper from Budiman and read it. In it was a tally that Budiman had kept and it showed that as of the last vote counted, the President had reached 501 votes. Tuti smiled a motherly smile at Budiman, she realized that Budiman did not want to be the first to congratulate the President. And then she turned around, wrapped her arms around the President and kissed him on the cheek.
“I’m so proud of you, I really am”, Tuti told her husband.
“Wait, what the hell’s going on?” asked the President.
Budiman then bowed his head as he shook the President’s hand, behind him Military Secretary Saurip Kadi, Commander of the Presidential Bodyguard Nono Sampono and the Presidential Bodyguards on duty also came in the room to shake the President’s hand.
---
“The count has been completed”, the vote counter announced over all the noise.
The delegates from the Group Delegates looked relieved that the process was now over though here and there, those who had obviously voted for the President revealed themselves by the fact that they were shaking hands with each other. The Regional Delegates also looked similarly relieved that everything was now over. The ABRI Delegates crowded around Wiranto as he instructed them to return to their day jobs and begin “wrapping things up” because his commandership will come to an end soon.
The PNI delegates looked demoralized with Megawati crying and holding on tightly to a tissue in her hand, Taufiq Kiemas trying to comfort her. Tutut was more stoic and smiled as she turned around and shook hands with her supporters.
There were handshakes, hugs and congratulations all around among the PKPI delegates while the PPP delegates, the ones who voted for the President anyway, broke into song (“Shalaatullaah Salaamullaah 'Alaa Thaaha Rasuulillaah”).
“Can I have silence for a moment please, the votes have been counted and count has been tallied up and the scrutineers have confirmed that it is correct”, Matori said after having received a piece of paper with the official vote count “And the count is as follows…”
The chatter quietened down.
“There are first and foremost, 96 abstentions in this round of voting”, Matori announced to a mixed reaction of applause that the number had gone down and some scattered boos that abstentions were still happening.
Well I think she did not realised yet that the count tally in this round was lower than in the first round...and when she does...oh dear...“Now moving on the presidential candidates”, Matori said “Firstly, with 328 votes: Mrs. Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.”
Tutut bowed her head as her supporters applauded her with tears in their faces. Matori waited until the applause died down.
And Try is entering the second full term of his presidency....“With 576 votes: Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno”, Matori announced to more applause and cheers as Matori continued on “As such, Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno has obtained a majority of the votes in the MPR.”
More applause.
“Therefore, in accordance with the duties entrusted to the MPR in our constitution”, Matori continued “I hereby declare Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno elected as the President of the Republic of Indonesia for the term 2003-2008!”
Oh, so that's the issue.Not gonna lie...I am worried that this is related to something much more disturbing that would in turn becoming a clusterfuck...but it turn out to be something else... I do wonder with the current economy and health situation, would Jakarta have some decent place to do a organ transplant that is on a level as Singapore by now ITTL.
LET'S GOOOOOO HE WON BY A WHOLE ASS LANDSLIDE! TRY 5 TAHUN LAGI!“With 576 votes: Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno”, Matori announced to more applause and cheers as Matori continued on “As such, Gen. (Ret.) Try Sutrisno has obtained a majority of the votes in the MPR.”
Welcome, dude. We're here for the same reason, hahahahahaha.....I've been slowly reading from the start since a couple weeks ago, and I'm really happy that I'm finally caught up, and that this is still going strong with its updates. This ATL pushed me to make an account just so I can tell you how amazing of a ride this had been, and I'm mega excited for another 5 years of Try.
Its time.“Beat Tutut and Megawati first, then and only then will I allow you to start thinking about that guy.”
@focus9912's research is correct. ITTL Amirul Isnaeni is not well just as his OTL self was not well. He is loyal to Try. At present he is the Head of the ABRI Intelligence Agency.So, what happened with Amirul Isnaeni, by the way? Any words about his affiliation?
Basically, Try got all the 35 ABRI that went with SBY to vote for Tutut and the rest are all Akbar votes plus the Group Delegates that followed Nurcholish's instruction not to abstain again.576 votes huh? The votes from Akbar might not be needed after all, and if Try wants to renege on the deal he could, but it won't be good look. Besides, having a good relationship with a party leader is good, less chance of obstruction in the parliament.
This is from 21st March 2001:Will being Try's son in law cost Lt. Gen Ryamizard Ryacudu his chance to become the Chief of Staff of the Army?
Wiranto arrived at ABRI Headquarters where a working lunch with Army Chief of Staff Luhut Panjaitan awaited.
“Yudhoyono will not like this command shuffle”, commented Luhut referring to ABRI General Chief of Staff Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
“Bambang’s classmates and brother-in-law are doing well”, said Wiranto before Yudhoyono even began to speak “The only reason he’ll complain is because his prospects to be your successor just took a hit.”
“How did the bargaining go in there with Tubagus going to Kostrad?”asked Luhut.
“I told the President there will be resistance from the officer corps if his son-in-law were to be promoted to Commander of Kostrad and be in contention for the Army Chief of Staff’s position in the future but that there are precedents for former presidential aide-de-camps being advanced to prominent positions, namely his and my career paths”, said Wiranto.
There was silence as Luhut chewed on his lunch.
“You’re not surprised he tried to nominate Ryamizard for Commander of Kostrad?” asked Wiranto referring to ABRI Assistant of General Planning Ryamizard Ryacudu who also happened to be the President’s son-in-law.
“I had an inkling that he would” said Luhut “But he’s aware of the consensus you and I had built among the officer corps that there would be no more Prabowos. The only reason the President would offer Ryamizard is so that he could open up the way for Tubagus.”
“That’s precisely what he did”, replied Wiranto “He made ABRI choose between his son-in-law or his former aide-de-camp and we had to choose the latter because we can’t accept the former.”
“It had to be between the son-in-law or the former aide-de-camp, Commander”, said Luhut
Thank you so much, I know there are those of you who binge on this TL based on the notifications I get hahahaha.I've been slowly reading from the start since a couple weeks ago, and I'm really happy that I'm finally caught up, and that this is still going strong with its updates. This ATL pushed me to make an account just so I can tell you how amazing of a ride this had been, and I'm mega excited for another 5 years of Try.
Well the way you eloquently and meticulously show the twist and turns of the election theater show that you had put so much thought into it, it is by far the best part of this timeline IMO...Thank you so much for all the reaction and support, guys. That chapter, along events such as Megawati's "long shot" and Ginandjar trying to play both sides, was something that had been floating around in my head for a good nearly 3 years now. I feel relieved that it's all out there.
To be perfectly honest, from the very little that I have read, IMO, if SBY's gang decided to persuade him, the resultant ensuing shock and stress would probably push his health problem over the edge....ITTL Amirul Isnaeni is not well just as his OTL self was not well. He is loyal to Try. At present he is the Head of the ABRI Intelligence Agency.
Hmm...I do wonder how would this would play into the new dynamics of ITTL ABRI...Basically, Try got all the 35 ABRI that went with SBY to vote for Tutut and the rest are all Akbar votes plus the Group Delegates that followed Nurcholish's instruction not to abstain again.
So basically given that Soeharto favored his son-in-law, the officer corps had gently told Try that that's not going to happen. Ryamizard is still doing well for himself though. He's the Inspector General of ABRI basically in charge of internal supervision of ABRI.
The officer who claim to be Try's favorite ITTL is Tubagus "TB" Hasanuddin, former vice presidential/presidential aide-de-camp, who is now holding the Army Chief of Staff's position. I suppose the Indonesian readers, if they know the way these things work in Indonesian military politics, can guess already with Try having been re-elected and Wiranto saying his time is coming to an end, what TB Hasanuddin's next assignment will be.
Yeah...now that the election in Indonesia has been decided...it would be very interesting to see what do they do next...especially in regards to things that could effect Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya relations with Beijing....Thank you so much, I know there are those of you who binge on this TL based on the notifications I get hahahaha.
This TL is a nice little escape from reality, I guess that's why I'm still at it. The longest I've been away from this TL was 7-8 months and at the time I thought that I'm still thinking about this TL WAY too much for me to stop.
I did a little counting, round 2 was 460 votes for Try. With ABRI votes it's 495, they only needed 6 more votes from Group Delegates that changed their stance from impartiality and were able to convince Nurcholish himself, that should be easy for 501. Akbar only promised 40, so technically his votes weren't vital. Still it sparked hope in Try's camp to fight until the end because it provided assurance.Basically, Try got all the 35 ABRI that went with SBY to vote for Tutut and the rest are all Akbar votes plus the Group Delegates that followed Nurcholish's instruction not to abstain again.
It's indeed amazing.Well the way you eloquently and meticulously show the twist and turns of the election theater show that you had put so much thought into it, it is by far the best part of this timeline IMO...
Just arrived on this moment again and i pondering something about this. IIRC you haven't posted about either two since we got John and the Priyatnos instead.-A collective profile of “The Four Horsemen of Try” (Try’s inner circle; this will be an OTL blending into ITTL profile)
-What political actors are thinking at the moment (this will be a series of quotes that reflect the thoughts of various political actors who aren’t Try)
You can say the ones that have arrived in Jakarta are those most pleased at Try's re-election.Waiting for the reactions across the world. Some will be uneasy, but many others will be pleased to hear Try still in charge.