Megawati Sukarnoputri seems to be playing an old-fashioned game to garner support in the upcoming presidential elections in Indonesia – trying to pacify Islamic zealots by engaging in a tirade at the West.  In a nightmare scenario for her, a huge rally was staged recently by conservative Muslims all over Indonesia demanding implementation of the Sharia. It is clear that her government has been quite inactive in boosting the fledgling economy and stemming the rampant corruption that is more or less a bureaucratic tradition now. A recent report published from Hong Kong has branded Indonesia as the most corrupt nation in Asia for the third consecutive year while her government remains lax in resolving core issues.  

Mass support for a non-charismatic leader can hardly be expected; however, she may have a chance in the coming presidential elections in which two dozen parties are in the fray. Although the eligibility of these parties to contest elections is okayed by the Election Commission, there is a fear that the whole election process, scheduled in the first week of April, could be painfully long owing to the prevailing chaos and pandemonium in the country. 

Among the 24 political parties, not one wants to let religious symbols be without providing any political dividends. The national parties, like Megawati’s nationalist PDI-P party and Islamist United Development Party, are virtually bowing down before the conservative religious segments. More to confuse than to convince conservative Muslims, Megawati has played a middle path.  Criticizing the Bush policy on Iraq as an aggression of the West on a Muslim nation she, nevertheless, praised his policy of countering global terrorism.

On 23 February, at the opening ceremony of the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) organized by the country’s – and the world’s – largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), she spoke of the US invasion of Iraq and the French government’s plan to ban headscarves, "An exceptional injustice is apparent in the attitude and actions of big countries toward countries whose majority populations are Muslims.â€Â