VZCZCXYZ0009
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DE RUEHJA #8261/01 1840858
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P 030858Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6620
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

S E C R E T JAKARTA 008261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
INDONESIAN BIOGRAPHICAL AND POLITICAL GOSSIP, Q2 2006 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2026 
TAGS: PINR PGOV PTER KISL ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIAN BIOGRAPHICAL AND POLITICAL GOSSIP, Q2 
2006 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 5851 (Q1 BIO/POL GOSSIP) 
     ¶B. JAKARTA 5705 (IRANIAN ENGAGEMENT WITH DPR) 
     ¶C. 2005 JAKARTA 10107 (Q2 BIO TIDBITS) 
 
Classified By: Political Officer David R. Greenberg, reason 1.4 (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (S/NF) Notes on Yudhoyono's inner circle...  Notional 
uranium sale to Iran dead...  Ba'asyir lawyer tied to State 
Intelligence Agency figure...  Rumors VP Kalla flirted with 
figures hoping to topple Yudhoyono...  Influencing judges in 
court case involving the National Awakening Party... 
Snapshots of political concerns of Wiranto, Prabowo, and 
Amien Rais...  This cable is the latest in a series that has 
provided political tidbits and rumors, rather than more 
developed information.  Most of the gossip stems from single 
but well-placed sources.  End Summary. 
 
YUDHOYONO'S INNER CIRCLE SEEN AS MOSTLY MILITARY FIGURES 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶2. (C) Various contacts have claimed that Yudhoyono's 
innermost circle currently consists primarily of active duty 
or retired military figures.  Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi 
is the figure most well known as a close associate of 
Yudhoyono.  Presidential Secretary Kurdi Mustofa and T.B. 
Silalahi, Special Advisor to the President, are also commonly 
seen by politicians as figures with good access to Yudhoyono. 
 Names we have heard recently which are not widely seen as 
close to Yudhoyono include Yasin, associated with the 
National Defense Council (Dewan Pertahanan Nasional); Irvan 
Edison; Bambang Tedjo; and Sardan Marbun. 
 
¶3. (C) According to a Golkar figure with close ties to the 
security forces, retired General Syamsir Siregar 
(subsequently appointed as head of the State Intelligence 
Agency) and Yasin played a key role in using the Armed Forces 
territorial command as a network to promote the Democratic 
Party (PD) and Yudhoyono's presidential candidacy in the 2004 
elections.  (Comment: Many political figures found it hard to 
explain the success of PD in the 2004 elections, since PD was 
new, weak, and inexperienced.  These political figures 
assumed that Yudhoyono and his team must have used a network 
better established than PD's -- that of the Armed Forces -- 
to get out the vote.  While this perception is not uncommon 
in political circles, we have not found credible evidence or 
highly specific allegations of such activity by the military 
in 2004's elections.  End Comment.) 
 
IRANIAN URANIUM DEAL DEAD 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Dave Laksono, a key political operator of House of 
Representatives Chairman Agung Laksono, told us in early June 
that the possible deal to sell Indonesian uranium ore to Iran 
reported in ref B was "dead." 
 
BA'ASYIR LAWYER CONNECTED TO BIN DEPUTY CHIEF 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (S/NF) State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chairman Yahya 
Asagaf told us that he had met one of Jemaah Islamiyah Emir 
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir's lawyers in the office of BIN Deputy 
Chief As'at.  Yahya claimed the lawyer -- an ethnic Arab 
named Al-Waini (phonetic) -- was "As'at's man," implying that 
Al-Waini provided inside information to As'at. 
 
KALLA SCHEMING TO TOPPLE SBY? 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6. (S/NF) Roy Janis, a former high-ranking official of the 
Indonesian Democratic Party - Struggle (PDI-P) and a former 
close associate of former First Gentleman Taufik Kiemas, told 
us in mid-May that Vice President Kalla had begun meeting 
Taufik Kiemas on a weekly basis for a period of months.  Roy 
claimed that Kalla had offered to engineer the installation 
of Megawati as his Vice President if Yudhoyono were forced 
from office by mass protests, and Kalla were to become 
President.  According to Roy, Megawati rejected this offer, 
and the ensuing plan became for Taufik Kiemas to become 
Kalla's nominee for Vice President.  (Note: Roy provided this 
information at a time when there was a widespread perception 
that PDI-P was sponsoring demonstrations in early May.  End 
Note.) 
 
¶7. (C) When we subsequently asked presidential advisor T.B. 
Silalahi about this rumor, T.B. expressed strong doubt that 
 
Kalla was collaborating with Taufik Kiemas.  We also asked 
PDI-P Secretary General Pramono Anung about the reported 
meetings between Kalla and Taufik.  Pramono claimed no such 
meetings had taken place.  The primary channel for 
communication between PDI-P and Golkar (which Kalla chairs) 
was between Pramono and Golkar Secretary General Soemarsono. 
(More on Soemarsono below.)  Pramono said in early June that 
three such meetings between them had taken place, to discuss 
cooperation between the two parties.  Pramono noted that he 
expected Kalla might meet with PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati 
Soekarnoputri in the near future. 
 
PKB BUYS FAVORABLE COURT VERDICT 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) People sympathetic to National Awakening Party (PKB) 
overlord Abdurrahman Wahid (aka Gus Dur) paid judges three 
billion Rupiah (approximately 322,000 USD, at current 
exchange rates) in bribe money in order to secure a spring 
2006 court verdict that awarded control of PKB to Gus Dur 
instead of party dissidents.  This story came from Sierad 
President Director Eko Sandjojo (strictly protect), who also 
has close ties to PKB.  Eko claimed he knew this information 
because prominent lawyer Soesilo Aribowo, who also works for 
Eko (or Sierad) had channeled the money to the judges. 
 
SUDI'S ROLE IN COURT MEDDLING CONFIRMED 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (C) In a June meeting, PKB Deputy Secretary General Yenny 
Wahid (strictly protect) confirmed to us that the close 
Yudhoyono associate who had pressured a judge to rule against 
Gus Dur's side in the aforementioned case (as reported in ref 
A) was indeed Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi.  Yenny claimed 
that, subsequent to our earlier conversation, Sudi, in 
discussion with a top PKB legislator, had virtually confirmed 
the judge's allegation. 
 
WIRANTO WORRIES ABOUT INTEL REPORTS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (C/NF) Presidential advisor T.B. Silalahi told us in mid 
June that 2004 presidential candidate Wiranto had complained 
to him about BIN reports portraying him (Wiranto) in a 
derogatory light.  T.B. indicated to us that his reply to 
Wiranto implied -- but did not explicitly state -- no such 
reports existed.  (Note: Ref C reported complaints by a 
Wiranto associate that BIN Chief Syamsir Siregar 
characterized Wiranto as a "terrorist mastermind" during a 
cabinet meeting.  End Note.)  In a parenthetical remark, T.B. 
noted that President Yudhoyono shared the most sensitive BIN 
reporting on political matters only with himself and Cabinet 
Secretary Sudi Silalahi. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶11. (C) Close Wiranto associate General (ret) Suaidi 
Marasabessy told us recently that he could envision numerous 
scenarios in which a major political party might nominate 
Wiranto for the presidency in 2009.  Possible parties 
included PDI-P (in which case Wiranto might run with Taufik 
Kiemas as his Vice President), the Prosperous Justice Party 
(PKS), and Golkar.  (Citing discontent within Golkar's ranks, 
Suaidi told us pressure might build for a Golkar 
Extraordinary Party Congress, which could bring about a 
change of leadership.)  (Comment: These strike us as 
extremely low probability scenarios, but numerous contacts 
claim Wiranto remains strongly interested in running again 
for the presidency, so his loyalists may well be grasping at 
straws.  End Comment.) 
 
PRABOWO EYEING PRESIDENCY, HIDING THAI GIRLFRIEND 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶12. (C) Former Special Forces commander Prabowo Subianto 
often takes commercial flights to Bangkok to visit a Thai 
girlfriend who lives there, according to Golkar Deputy 
Treasurer Poempida Hidayatulloh (strictly protect), who 
formerly had a close relationship with Prabowo.  Poempida 
claimed that Prabowo had established a business venture for 
this woman, and the couple was close enough that they would 
marry if Prabowo were not worried about how having a foreign 
wife might affect his lingering presidential ambitions. 
(Note: Prabowo competed unsuccessfully for Golkar's 
presidential nomination in 2004.  End Note.) 
 
AMIEN PONDERING 2009 
-------------------- 
 
¶13. (C) Former People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Chairman 
Amien Rais is keeping his options open for a presidential run 
 
in 2009, according to National Mandate Party legislator Alvin 
Lie, who has direct access to Amien.  Alvin noted Amien -- 
who finished fourth in 2004's election -- was realistic and 
would not run if his prospects were poor.  However, Alvin 
also claimed that Amien might be pushed by his wife, an 
extremely ambitious woman who wields significant influence 
over Amien's decisions. 
 
TOMY WINATA SEEKING INFLUENCE 
----------------------------- 
 
¶14. (C/NF) Dave Laksono told us presidential advisor T.B. 
Silalahi functioned as a middleman, relaying funds from Tomy 
to President Yudhoyono, protecting Yudhoyono from the 
potential liabilities that could arise if Yudhoyono were to 
deal with Tomy directly.  (Comment: Dave Laksono did not 
provide a specific time frame for this information.  Because 
T.B. was well known as a patron of Tomy's, such rumors have 
circulated since the 2004 election campaign.  Other contacts 
have told us that, during the 2004 election, T.B., who is 
Christian, was the principal channel for funds to Yudhoyono's 
campaign from the predominantly Christian Chinese community; 
Tomy is a Christian Indonesian of Chinese descent.  End 
Comment.) 
 
¶15. (C/NF) State Intelligency Agency (BIN) official Yahya 
Asagaf told us that Tomy Winata was trying to cultivate 
influence by using Presidential Secretary Kurdi Mustofa as 
his channel to First Lady Kristiani Herawati.  A contact from 
the Golkar party told us that, during the 2004 campaign, Tomy 
also had sought to use Muhammad Lutfi (now Chairman of the 
Investment Coordination Board) as a channel of funding to 
Yudhoyono's campaign. 
 
¶16. (C) A contact from political circles claimed to have 
reliable information that representatives of Tomy Winata had 
requested permission from BIN Chief Syamsir Siregar to 
"attack" a residence of the son of former Vice President 
Hamzah Haz, who reportedly failed to repay money borrowed 
from Tomy.  According to this account, Syamsir vetoed the 
proposed action.  Multiple sources have told us that Syamsir 
views Tomy with disdain. 
 
¶17. (C) Well-connected political activist Hariman Siregar 
told us that National Police Chief Sutanto and prominent 
police General Gores Mere felt antipathetic toward Tomy 
Winata.  Hariman said that Sutanto and Gores saw Tomy as 
closely allied with Da'i Bachtiar, Sutanto's predecessor and 
presumably still a rival for influence within the police 
community. 
 
PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR DISAPPOINTED WITH POLICE CHIEF 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶18. (C) Presidential advisor T.B. Silalahi told us in June 
that he was disappointed with the performance of National 
Police Chief Sutanto.  T.B. claimed that Sutanto had 
performed well in previous positions, but as National Police 
Chief, he had begun to receive unsolicited offers of support 
for a presidential run.  (Earlier this year, Amien Rais 
publicly stated Sutanto would make a good President.)  Such 
offers had altered Sutanto's priorities and made him more 
timid, T.B. said.  (Comment: Many other political figures see 
Sutanto as doing a good job, and he still receives high marks 
from our police and NGO contacts.  To date, Sutanto also has 
provided stronger support than his predecessor for our 
bilateral programs.  It is possible that Sutanto's alleged 
antipathy toward Tomy Winata -- see above -- colors T.B.'s 
view.  End Comment.) 
 
PKB PERSPECTIVE ON UPCOMING PPP CONGRESS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶19. (C) PKB Deputy Secretary General Yenny Wahid told us in 
June that, of the potential candidates for the chairmanship 
of the United Development Party (PPP), due to hold its Party 
Congress in 2007, PKB had the closest relationship to Endin 
Soefihara, currently PPP's Faction Chairman in the DPR. 
Yenny worried aloud that Hasyim Muzadi's possible effort to 
win the party chairmanship could split the Nahdlatul Ulama 
(NU) faction of PPP (between Hasyim and Endin), opening the 
door to a figure from the rival PARMUSI faction to win 
control of the party.  This could have a beneficial effect 
for PKB, though, as it might push more NU members away from 
PPP and toward PKB.  (Note: Current PPP Chairman Hamzah Haz 
is from the NU faction of PPP.  End Note.) 
 
YENNY VIEWS FPI 
--------------- 
 
 
¶20. (C) Yenny Wahid told us that the retired military 
officers who had helped to form and finance the Islam 
Defenders Front (FPI) -- such as former Jakarta Police Chief 
Nugroho Djayusman, with whom Yenny had recently had direct 
contact -- no longer could control FPI.  In Yenny's view, 
those former military officers had "created a monster" that 
now functioned independently of its former sponsors and did 
not feel beholden toward them.  Although anyone with money 
could hire FPI for political purposes, no one outside of the 
group could control FPI head Habib Rizieq, who functions as 
his own boss.  (Note: Ref A reported our own conversation 
with Nugroho on FPI.  End Note.) 
 
THE POLITICAL POSITION OF GOLKAR'S SECRETARY GENERAL 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶21. (C) Golkar officials have told us that, after his 
election as Golkar Party Chairman in 2004, Vice President 
Jusuf Kalla selected Soemarsono as Golkar Secretary General 
on the recommendation of President Yudhoyono.  Lately, 
however, our contacts have questioned Soemarsono's loyalty to 
Yudhoyono; one member of Golkar's Central Board told us 
Soemarsono is trying to play Kalla off against Golkar Deputy 
General Chairman Agung Laksono, and to create his own faction 
within Golkar.  Our contact told us Soemarsono also had an 
interest in running for Governor of Central Java. 
 
PASCOE