Page 254 - BUKU A CENTURY OF PARLIAMENTARY LIFE IN INDONESIA

THE DYNAMICS AND ROLES OF DPR-RI IN IMPROVING THE LIFE OF THE NATION
IN THE REFORMATION ERA (1998-2018)

also did not accept President Habibie’s accountability speech held a Megawati Soekarno Putri, General
demonstration. Chairperson of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle,
the Republic of Indonesia’s
presidential candidate.
The MPR finally rejected President Habibie’s accountability through a
voting process. With this refusal, Habibie refused to run for president. At (source: Dimas Ardian/Getty Images)
that time, two presidential candidates had actually emerged, who were
Habibie and Megawati Soekarnoputri.

However, both of them received rejection, especially from Islamic par-
ties. Megawati Soekarnoputri was considered not to represent Muslims,
while B.J. Habibie was considered a product of the New Order that was
nominated by the Golkar Party. Out of this situation emerged what was
known as the Central Axis.

The Central Axis was a political alliance of Islamic parties in the 1999
Presidential Election which aimed to place alternative presidential
candidates with presidential candidates from the PDIP and the Golkar
Party. This term was introduced by Amien Rais, who was Speaker of
the MPR for the 1999-2004 period. It was from this axis that the name
Abdurrahman Wahid emerged as a presidential candidate.

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