Sri Sultan Hamengkubowono X has been deemed the country's most competent presidential candidate, defeating both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his predecessor, Megawati Soekarnoputri, according to a study released here Tuesday.

The study, conducted by the Society for Democracy Education (P2D), was based on evaluations from 16 experts in various academic disciplines.

Sultan, the current governor of Yogyakarta, was seen as the candidate with the strongest commitment to pluralism, the best response to social problems and the greatest capacity to make quick decisions, the study found.

He topped the list of 12 figures declaring their 2009 presidential bids, with an average score among the 16 experts of 6.2 out of a possible 10.

Former Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tanjung, Yudhoyono and Megawati were ranked second, third and fourth, with average scores of 6.01, 6 and 4.95, respectively.

Experts evaluated candidates on the basis of eight indicators including commitment to human rights, corruption eradication and pluralism as well as managerial capability and responsiveness.

The P2D is an NGO managed by several prominent social and community leaders including noted lawyer and human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis, Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra and noted agricultural expert H.S. Dillon.

"Sultan has proven his pluralism as both a king and a religious leader in Yogyakarta. He protects all ethnic and religious groups within his territory," said political scientist Sukardi Rinakit of the Sugeng Suryadi Syndicate polling group during the presentation of the study's findings.

Sultan was the first public figure to condemn a brutal attack by the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) on the National Alliance for the Freedom of Faith and Religion during a rally at the National Monument, Sukardi added.

Nearly 70 people were injured in that incident, which took place in June during a peaceful rally to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the Pancasila state ideology and to show support for the banned Jamaah Ahmadiyah Islamic sect.

"Unlike normal polling, which evaluates candidates based on their popularity and electability, this evaluation ranks candidates according to their qualities and capabilities," said Rocky Gerungan of the P2D.

"With the top three presidential hopefuls gaining a score of around only 6, the country possesses only mediocre candidates thus far," he added.

Despite being seen as the candidate with the strongest commitment to human rights and the eradication of corruption, in addition to receiving the highest scores for education and experience, Yudhoyono received low marks for his decision-making capability (3.92), managerial skills (4.83) and responsiveness (5.75).

According to study experts, Akbar, a former House of Representatives speaker, was ranked higher than Yudhoyono because of his superior managerial skills, decision-making ability and commitment to social welfare.

Megawati received the highest score for social capital including popularity and solid support from her political party.

However, she was given a very low score for both managerial skills (3.83) and commitment to human rights and eradicating corruption (3.75).

Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Rizal Mallarangeng were ranked fifth and sixth with an average score of 4.94 and 4.72, respectively.

Political parties in Indonesia spend more time taking care of themselves than providing programs that benefit their constituents, according to a survey released Wednesday.

The survey, conducted by non-governmental organization Partnership Indonesia from March 24 to April 15, also found political parties have failed to educate people about their rights and obligations as citizens under the country's democratic system.

It interviewed 770 executives of the country's seven major parties plus 500 local constituents in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Aceh.

The survey examined the activities of the Golkar Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP), the Democratic Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), and the Justice Prosperous Party (PKS) in the three provinces.

It found only 30 percent of constituents were satisfied with how the parties addressed their concerns.

"But, some 70 percent of party member respondents claim that they have done their jobs well," survey team member Nico Harjanto from Partnership Indonesia said.

The survey found the major parties had not made sufficient efforts to educate their constituents on important issues, such as regional and national financial budgets, as well as the drafting of certain laws.

Sixty percent of party members admitted that their political organizations never talked about these issues with their constituents, it added.

Over 46 percent of party executives said their central boards made decisions on candidates as governors, mayors or regents, while over 67 percent of the respondents said the party's central headquarters made final decisions on legislative candidates.

Researchers found political parties are now less ideological, with 61 percent of their officials saying they were never involved in conflicts because of ideological orientation.

Most party conflicts centered around disputes over nominations for regional and national legislative positions, and on coalitions with other parties during direct regional elections.

Charta Politica Indonesia executive director Bima Arya Sugiarto, speaking at a seminar to announce the survey's results, said it was common knowledge that most political parties in Indonesia were corrupt and did not care about their constituents.

Another speaker Hafiz Anshary, chairman of the National Elections Commission (KPU), said many parties in the country were only a commodity for their executives and members to enrich themselves.

"For instance, if we want to become a legislative member, governor, or mayor representing a certain party, we must pay billions of rupiah," he said.

Bima said parties had also maintained their "centralistic" character, with their central boards holding powers to determine the candidates for regional executive heads and legislators.

"But we should push parties to reform themselves as they are the cornerstone of democracy. We have no other choice but to strengthen them to make our democratic system better," he said.

The Golkar Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) have opened talks on forming a coalition for the 2009 presidential election, looking to pair Vice President Jusuf Kalla with People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid.

Officials from the two parties said Monday that leading figures from Golkar, the country's largest party, and the Islamic-based PKS had held preliminary discussions on nominating the pair for president and vice president, respectively.

Golkar deputy secretary-general Rully Chairul Azwar confirmed the talks had taken place, saying his party was open to all options including forging a coalition with the PKS in next year's presidential election.

"But any permanent coalition will depend on the results of the legislative election," he said.

"We would like to build a strong and stable government so we are interested in joining forces with the PKS if it wins a significant number of votes in the legislative election."

The PKS took the bigger parties by surprise when it won the gubernatorial elections in West Java and North Sumatra.

Political analysts have predicted the party could double its 2004 result in the 2009 legislative election because of its clean image and the failure of larger parties to deliver on their promises.

The PKS took only 7.34 percent or 8.3 million votes in the 2004 election, falling far behind the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which garnered 21.6 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively.

Golkar leader Kalla renewed the party's target of winning 30 percent of the vote in next year's legislative election.

Hidayat, who is also a PKS patron and former president, said the idea of pairing him with Kalla was possible.

"It is an old issue. But any such coalition will depend on our results in the legislative election and the will of the party," he said.

"We won't shut the door on the possibility."

Neither would the PKS rule out backing the reelection of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Hidayat said.

Chairman of the Golkar faction at the House, Priyo Budi Santoso, said recently that pairing Kalla and Hidayat was one of four options the party had on the table.

Other options include keeping the Yudhoyono-Kalla coalition and forging a partnership with Megawati Soekarnoputri of the PDI-P.

Another Golkar politician, Harry Azhar Azis, said Golkar and the PKS could form a solid coalition in next year's presidential election.

"Talks about a possible coalition between the two parties are underway. It is good to test the waters," he said.

Sources at the PKS and Golkar said Monday that Golkar would move quickly to lock in a coalition with the PKS before Yudhoyono took the initiative to secure a commitment from the Islamic party for the presidential election.

The PKS supported the Yudhoyono-Kalla team in the presidential election run-off in 2004, securing three ministerial positions in return.

Experts have predicted Yudhoyono will need the PKS if his coalition with Kalla breaks down as they doubt his Democratic Party will be able to meet the qualification threshold alone.

The government and Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra have settled their civil case amicably, paving the way for Tommy to reclaim some Rp 550 billion (US$59.8 million) from the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) Paribas, their lawyers said Thursday.

Under the out-of-court-settlement, Tommy, youngest son of late former president Soeharto, must pay the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) Rp 23 billion in rental fees for land used by his company PT Goro Batara Sakti.

Tommy must also acquit Bulog of having to pay him Rp 5 billion in compensation based on a verdict handed down February by the South Jakarta District Court.

The amicable settlement was reached on March 19 after Bulog decided to drop its appeal against the court ruling, its lawyer, Asfifudin, said.

"We have made a settlement so the appeal will not proceed," he said.

Tommy's lawyer, Elza Syarief, said the settlement showed his client did not wish to cause harm to any party.

"With good intentions, we agreed to settle the case. We declare the case closed," she said.

British authorities froze 36 million euros in Tommy's bank accounts based on a request by Indonesia's Attorney General's Office (AGO) that argued the money had been obtained through corruption.

To prove its argument, AGO and Bulog sued Tommy for corruption in a 1995 Bulog-Goro land-swap transaction that caused Rp 550 billion in state losses.

However, the South Jakarta District Court ruled in February that Bulog had no legal grounds in the case, and instead ordered the state agency to pay Rp 5 billion for damaging Tommy's reputation as a businessman.

The Bulog and AGO immediately announced they would appeal against the ruling.

Elza said following the settlement, Tommy would attempt to withdraw his money from BNP Paribas Guernsey.

Noted lawyer Frans Hendra Winarta, however, dismissed ideas the case had anything to do with the money in Guernsey, or that the settlement would automatically affect the bank's decision to release the money.

"As far as I know the case has nothing to do with the Guernsey case. The bank will not allow Tommy to have the money unless the government confirms the money belongs to him, and that it was not obtained through corrupt means," he told The Jakarta Post.

A lawyer representing the state in the case, Yoseph Suardi Sabda, said he was not aware of the settlement process, but said both sides had the right to settle without involving the third party.

The government said Monday it would review major corruption cases connected to the swindled Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) funds before deciding whether to reopen them.

If the government decides to reopen the cases, it is also expected to decide whether to hand the BLBI investigations over to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) from the Attorney General's Office (AGO).

Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said his office, the KPK and police on Thursday would discuss all the corruption cases they were handling, including the embezzlement of trillions of rupiah in BLBI funds.

"It depends on the review whether we will reopen the BLBI cases or not," he said at a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission I on defense, security and foreign affairs.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister Freddy Numberi and Indonesian Military chief Gen. Djoko Santoso were also present at the hearing.

During the 1997-1999 East Asian economic crisis, the government dispensed Rp 640.9 trillion to save the banking system from collapse.

The money included some Rp 144.5 trillion in BLBI funds, which was disbursed to 48 banks to keep them afloat in the wake of a massive withdrawal of foreign capital from the country. However, many debtors abused the liquidity support and embezzled the funds.

The government must pay some Rp 60 trillion each year as interest on the funds, which were covered by foreign and domestic borrowing.

The AGO has been under pressure to reopen the BLBI cases after the KPK arrested state prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan, who led the probe into the alleged BLBI embezzlement by tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim, on charges of receiving a US$660,000 bribe from Artalita Suryani, a businesswoman close to Sjamsul.

The arrest occurred just two days after the AGO announced on Feb. 29 it had dropped the investigation into Sjamsul, citing lack of evidence.

The AGO then dismissed deputy attorney general for special crimes Kemas Yahya Rahman and director for investigations Muhammad Salim, both direct supervisors of Urip, in an effort to maintain the office's credibility.

"During our internal investigation, we did not find any link between the (Sjamsul) case and the arrest of Urip. But it is the KPK's investigation to establish a possible connection," Hendarman told the House hearing.

He said Urip is currently charged with four crimes, including bribery and extortion.

Several lawmakers suggested it was unlikely Urip was involved in accepting bribes without the knowledge of his superiors.

"Please don't stay on Urip as it is impossible he was acting alone," legislator Permadi told officials in attendance.

"By focusing the case only on Urip," he said, "we have tried to fool the public. We can't do it anymore because people are smarter now."

Most forest and land rehabilitation programs launched by the central government have failed to reduce deforestation because locals refuse to become involved, officials and activists said.

Head of Central Java's Wonosobo village, Kholiq Arif, said residents were more interested in protecting their interests rather than following the government's rehabilitation guidelines.

"The government's programs are simply dead," Kholiq told the seminar.

"Past experience shows if the locals follows what the government says, they will lose their income or their land for nothing."

The seminar was organized by USAID and the Environmental Service Programs (ESP), an international non-governmental organization focused on forest, land and water.

Imam Muhammad of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Central Java chapter said most Central Java farmers who were NU members were disappointed with the government's rehabilitation and reforestation programs.

He said the government had not honored its promises and farmers were not paid after planting their land with seeds.

"We lost our time, money and land by joining the programs," he said.

Imam and Kholiq said the government should stop the programs and rechannel funds directly to people.

The Forestry Ministry said the government needed more than Rp 8 trillion (US$879.12 million) to rehabilitate two million hectares of forest in 2007.

Murniati, a researcher at the Research Center for Forest Development and Nature Conservation, said although the government planted many trees year after year, only a few survived.

"It's due to a lack of participation from the locals and the absence of programs after the plantating period," she said.

"So, many trees just died."

Murniati said according to her research with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the government managed to plant trees across 72 percent of total damaged forests, but only 25 percent of the trees survived.

Abidah Billah Setyowaty of the ESP said based on his organization's experience in helping villagers across six provinces, locals could successfully "fix" their own land and forests at minimum cost and without the government's help.

Lawmaker and former environmental minister Sonny Keraf said participation from farmers and the private sector was the key to successful rehabilitation and reforestation programs.

Forestry Ministry's director for land and forest rehabilitation Djoko Winarno said there were not enough funds to realize the government's rehabilitation and reforestation programs and blamed a slow disbursement of money from the state budget.

"We need Rp 11 trillion for the rehabilitation of 1.7 hectares of forest in 2007, but we only have Rp 325 billion," he said.