TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gerindra (Great Indonesia Movement) Party secretary-general Ahmad Muzani said his party’s lobbying team had had talks with several figures from the Democrat Party for a possible coalition between both parties.

He added the meetings, however, could not yet guarantee there would be a coalition between both parties as the final decision depended on the results of the meeting between Democrat chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Gerindra chief patron Prabowo Subianto.

“The meeting between SBY and Prabowo will decide on the coalition between Gerindra and the Democrat,” he said. Muzani cannot confirm yet when the meeting will take place, saying that “it is still being arranged.”

He said Gerindra would soon confirm the form and the number of members in the coalition to face the presidential elections in July. “We will have the clear form of coalition by the end of April,” Muzani said.

He said his party had been conducting political communication with several parties to form coalitions and that the meetings had intensified as they continued to see eye to eye on a number of issues.

Muzani declined to mention the names of the parties that Gerindra sought to form coalitions with, but hinted most of them were Islamic parties. He added the party had also established intensive communication with the Golkar Party.

PRIHANDOKO