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Wahid Bids Farewell, Hamza Haz Becomes Vice President
JAKARTA, July 26 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Indonesia on Thursday completed its first peaceful leadership transition, choosing a Muslim leader in a tight vote as its vice president, confirming the rise of Islam in local politics.
Hamza Haz, leader of the based United Development Party (PPP), the third largest political formation in the country, was elected to vice president in the country's ouster of Abdurrahman Wahid and the selection of Megawati Sukarnoputri to lead the country as president. Haz's party has chosen Islam as its basis, and campaigns on the motto "Islam is our Faith, The Ka'aba is our Kiblat."
Haz is married, with two wives, and is viewed as a conservative Islamist leader. His election came as the disgraced former leader Wahid bid an emotional farewell to thousands of supporters in the capital city, Jakarta.
Haz was an opponent to Megawati's accession to the presidency in 1999, arguing that a woman could not rule the mostly Islamic nation. He, and other Islamic leaders, including Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN) allowed Wahid, a Muslim cleric, to snatch the top job.
It is was disappointment over Wahid's style of leadership, coupled with the numerous scandals that rocked his presidency, which led to the impeachment session of the People's Consultative Assembly on Saturday last week.
The top legislative body sacked Wahid for incompetence and promoted Megawati from the vice presidency. Sources in Jakarta say the new president advised her party, the National Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI-P), to support the candidacy of Haz on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Wahid continues to insist his ouster was not constitutional, and predicted the return of an authoritarian regime in Indonesia with the military gaining an upper hand on power, he said.
"I will come back and continue fighting for democracy," he told his supporters gathered in central Merdeka (Freedom) Square.
The mood was rowdy but festive and there was no violence. People waved banners saying "Gus Dur, I love you," using the cleric's nickname, and wearing Wahid T-shirts.
Earlier in the day, Wahid warned that the world's fourth most populous country would fall again under military control, and made clear that his lifelong friendship with Megawati was over.
''Indonesia will be looted,'' he told reporters. ''There will be no law and human rights will be [undermined].''
The frail 60-year-old then left for the airport for a flight to the United States for checks on his medical condition.
The jocular cleric had won a reputation as a top democrat for his years of opposition to former strongman Suharto, but his own presidency collapsed hours after he employed tactics more common with autocrats - declaring a state of emergency.
Wahid was widely respected when he took power, but is now regarded as little more than an object of pity.
As Wahid headed to the airport, across the capital, politicians finally finished squabbling over the vice-presidency spoils.
The 61-year-old vice president, Haz, is a seasoned lawmaker. He started his career in the provincial parliament in West Kalimantan in 1968 and after moving to the capital, became an MP in 1971, first representing the Muslim Nahdlatul Ulama group, and since 1973, the PPP.
He served as minister for investment under President B.J. Habibie, who replaced Suharto, but resigned to lead the PPP in the 1999 elections.
Ousted former president Wahid appointed him as coordinating minister for people's welfare, but he resigned after two months, saying he wanted to concentrate on his party while sources at the palace said Wahid had accused him of graft, collusion and nepotism.
Haz then became a vocal Wahid opponent, especially after the resignation from the cabinet post, but his background in the mass Muslim organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama, which Wahid led for 15 years, made him open to compromise.
Analysts believe Megawati will benefit from Haz's Muslim credentials, but that she will also face the same coalition infighting that damaged Wahid as she tries to bring order to the unruly Southeast Asian archipelago.
Sources in Jakarta say Vice President Haz will be the check-and-balance against any move by the Muslim Axis group trying to undermine Megawati's leadership.
The Axis group, along with the Golkar Party, has vowed to maintain support for Megawati and Haz until the next electoral campaign in 2004.
With additional reporting by Kazi Mahmood
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