High-profile national figures campaign in North Sumatra poll

Apriadi Gunawan , The Jakarta Post , Medan | Thu, 02/14/2008 11:56 AM | The Archipelago

A number of high-profile national figures have confirmed they would campaign for their own 'black horses,' contending in the North Sumatra gubernatorial election.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla and house speaker Agung Laksono will campaign for the Ali Umri and Maratua Simanjuntak pair nominated by Golkar Party, while former president Megawati Sukarnoputri will campaign for the Tri Tamtomo and Benny Pasaribu pair nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid was to hold a sermon for the people of North Sumatra on behalf of the R.E. Siahaan and Suherdi pair nominated by a coalition of eight small political parties. State Minister for Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Suryadarma and Forestry Minister M.S. Ka'ban are to campaign for the Syamsul Arifin-Gatot Pudjonugroho pair nominated by a coalition of 12 minority parties.

National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Sutrisno Bachir will campaign for the Abdul Wahab Dalimunthe and Raden Suafi'i pair.

They were among more than 1,700 campaigners registered by the governor candidates with the North Sumatra chapter of the General Election Commission (KPUD).

After completing their administrative requirements for their candidacy with the KPUD, candidates have prepared their campaign team and materials to be offered during the campaign period, from March 30 to April 12, 2008.

KPUD chairman Irham Buana Nasution said his side has issued general guidelines for the campaigns and was designing a campaign schedule for all candidates during the period.

"The Provincial Electoral Supervisory Agency and civil society are expected to cooperate to improve the supervision of all elements of the election process," he said, adding that all state officials were barred from using state facilities during the campaigns.

PDI Perjuangan provincial chapter acting chairman Panda Nababan said a number of party figures, including Megawati, have confirmed their readiness to campaign for the Tri-Benny pair.

He said his party and candidates would raise issues of security and social welfare in their strategy to win the first-ever direct election scheduled for April 16.