DENNY Januar Ali, Executive Director of Lingkaran Survei Indonesia (LSI), had a special place in Megawati Soekarnoputri’s heart. While the other guests had to park their vehicles outside Megawati’s residence on Jl. Teuku Umar, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Denny could come right up the driveway.

He was indeed involved in campaign meetings before the legislative election in April. “We asked for his thoughts as a political consultant,” said Arif Budimanta, a chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), on Thursday last week.

This close relationship began in September 2008, when LSI was asked to build up PDI-P’s image. They were asked to conduct surveys, come up with a suitable campaign strategy for PDI-P, and place ads in the mass media.

The party came in third place in the 9 April legislative election, placing after the Democrat Party and the Golkar Party. The election results ended Denny’s special relationship with PDI-P. “I sent text messages to Ibu Megawati, Pak Taufiq Kiemas, and several people in the party,” said Denny. “I resigned as their political consultant.”

Less than a month later, Denny took on a new role. He has been avidly campaigning that the presidential election last just one round. Quoting poll results, he is promoting Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY)-Boediono, who according to him have the potential to defeat their two opponents in just one round of voting. Ads for this movement have been placed in a number of mass media outlets. “I have also traveled around seven provinces to campaign for it,” Denny claimed.

According to the Constitution, the presidential election ends if in the first round of voting one pair of candidates obtains more than 50 percent of the votes. Another condition: the pair must obtain at least a fifth of the votes in 17 provinces. Denny has calculated that the condition on the distribution of votes will be reached if SBY obtains 70 percent of the votes.

Denny’s ads sparked a counter-movement opposing a one-round presidential election. Acting as the National Coordinator of Public Solidarity for Democracy, Ismed Hasan Putro has placed adverts in various print media. “We have spent Rp500 million, including ads in regional newspapers in West, Central and East Java,” said Ismed.

DENNY J.A. feels that the defeat of PDI-P in the legislative election was caused by a blunder over the matter of direct cash assistance program. During the campaign, Megawati attacked the program to give cash to the poor to compensate them for the rise in fuel prices. It was the poor, who are the party’s constituents, who benefited from that program.

LSI immediately launched numerous ads which “corrected” Megawati’s stance. In a television ad broadcast at that time, PDI-P cadre were shown helping with the distribution of direct cash assistance. However, the effort was not very effective.

According to a source in LSI, upon seeing the low number of votes cast for PDI-P in the legislative election, Denny came up with a new plan. He suggested that Megawati form a coalition with the Democrat Party. Another idea was to pair Prabowo Subianto from the Gerindra Party with Puan Maharani, Megawati’s daughter. Taufiq Kiemas, Megawati’s husband, asked Denny to look into these two possibilities.

Denny then contacted Minister/State Secretary Hatta Rajasa, conveying the possibility of PDI-P joining up with the Democrat Party. They came up with a plan to bring together Yudhoyono and Megawati, preceded by a meeting between Yudhoyono and Taufiq. Denny also contacted people close to Yudhoyono, such as Marzuki Alie, Hayono Isman, and Irvan Edison. At the same time, he was communicating with Prabowo’s people.

Taufiq Kiemas seemed enthusiastic about the first plan. Hatta Rajasa even visited his home on Jl. Teuku Umar. However, Megawati still wanted to step forward as a presidential candidate. “Your elder has not yet agreed. Put that plan on hold,” said Taufiq to Denny, as imitated by a source. Denny and Taufiq had something in common: both were from Palembang. After coming up with the two plans, Denny was no longer involved in the meetings which Megawati presided over. She was upset. Denny gradually took his leave.

Nevertheless, Denny had access to Yudhoyono’s camp. He offered the concept of the One-Round Movement to Hatta. This movement could not possibly be carried out by the official campaign team, because it would appear presumptuous. Thus, Denny proposed using the Democracy Study Body, which he formed in 2003, to run the movement. He then asked for time to present his idea to Yudhoyono.

The presentation was done at Yudhoyono’s private residence in Cikeas on 6 June. The host was accompanied by former Indonesian Military Commander in Chief, Air Marshall (ret) Djoko Suyanto, and Democrat Party Secretary-General Marzuki Alie. Hatta did not attend as he was busy holding a wedding. When asked for confirmation about this, Marzuki was evasive. However, Ahmad Mubarok, Democrat Party Deputy Chairman, verified it.

Denny did not deny or verify this story. “From where did you hear that I met SBY?” he said. “You didn’t hear that from me.” Denny said that he has involved his entire network to make the One-Round Movement a success. Among those involved are Citra Indonesia, Citra Public, Perhimpunan Peduli Indonesia, and Lingkaran Survei Kebijakan Publik. These institutions are members of the LSI group, and Denny used their services when he received a contract to become a political consultant in the elections of regional heads.

The Democrat Party has no problem with Denny’s movement. “He is good spotting opportunities. He takes up a role at the right time,” said Mubarok. PDI-P politicians feel that Denny is a traitor. Arif Budimanta said calmly: “Everyone has political rights. As an Easterner, [he] should maintain political integrity.”

THE anti-one-round movement charges that Denny’s ads are intimidating voters. The ad reads that a single round of voting will save money. “Adventurers want to ruin democracy—people seeking material benefits and power,” said Ismed.

Ismed said that his group’s ads have been placed based on decisions made in meetings with activists of the Madani Association of Professionals, on Wednesday three weeks ago. He is chairman of this group. In the meeting they asked Ismed to step forward under the flag of Public Solidarity for Democracy, and would place ads in several print media.

He says that he is not politically affiliated with any of the presidential candidates. According to him, he is working to oppose the one-round movement, which might be a way to commit election fraud. “Later the Noncom for Village Control (Babinsa) will act and the General Elections Commission will legitimize it,” he said.

Fadhil Hasan, an economic advisor for the Jusuf Kalla-Wiranto team, who is close with Ismet, said that his friend is not on the team. However, according to him, Ismed’s political preference is surely with Jusuf Kalla (JK). “He will surely support JK, a fellow graduate with the Islamic University Students Association,” he said.