And Akbar Tanjung is the man pulling the strings. T he man who has emerged as power-broker in Indonesia's quest for a new president doesn't project much of a presence. Everything about Akbar Tanjung is low-key, from the dull monotone in which he answers questions to the conservative tailoring of his black business suit. Aides rush in and out.
Journalists loiter in hopes of a sound bite.
The waiting room is filled with supplicants wanting to shake the new speaker's hand. But as chairman of the Golkar Party, he's in the king-maker's seat. Yet, despite the popular revulsion against Suharto and those associated with him, Golkar finished No. 2 in the polls, thanks to its unmatched organizational base. That is why now, as Indonesia's electoral college meets to choose the first full-term president to succeed Suharto, Akbar is the man who matters. And not just as parliamentary speaker.