Voters may have three  choices for president in July ­­­— President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The likelihood of a three-horse race became more possible Saturday when the secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) announced that the party will nominate PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri as its presidential candidate.

The party made the decision after a gruelling 10-hour meeting at its headquarters.

Reportedly 30 of its 33 provincial chapters proposed retired army officer Prabowo Subianto, leader of the Greater Indonesian Movement (Gerindra), as vice president, PDI-P secretary-general Pramono Agung told Metro TV.

However, Megawati alone will decide her running mate, he said.

“Gerindra and Hanura are family,” Megawati said at the meeting, referring also to  the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) led by former military commander Wiranto.  

“They were the first to come to us,” joining the PDI-P’s effort to raise the problem of the eligible voters’ list, Megawati said.

Pramono hinted earlier that the party’s vice presidential candidate would be one with  “fighting” qualities, in line with the party’s image.

The party’s decision thwarted speculation that its planned coalition with Jusuf Kalla’s Golkar Party would mean the PDI-P would play second fiddle as the party running a vice presidential nominee.

It was decided at a Golkar leaders’ meeting on Thursday that Kalla would be named a presidential candidate, though several senior Golkar figures expressed disagreement.

As Golkar, with 14.6 percent of the total vote, compared to 20.6 percent for the Democratic Party as of 9 p.m. Saturday, ranks a distant second in ongoing nationwide tallies in the legislative elections, Golkar had earlier apparently concluded that it was not realistic to nominate its own presidential candidate.

The President’s Democratic Party (PD) is holding its national leaders’ meeting today to decide on its choice of allies and VP candidate.

All parties must register their candidates for the presidential race with the General Elections Commission by May 16.

Regarding its proposed coalition with Golkar, PDI-P central board chairman Firman Djaya Daeli suggested that a partnership could be formed in the legislature.

The split has left major parties courting other, smaller nationalist and Islamic parties.

Gerindra, with 4.3 percent as of late Saturday, and Hanura with 3.6 percent, are the lowest ranking parties which still come above the qualifying threshold to hold  seats in the national legislature. A reported meeting Saturday between Kalla and Prabowo did not materialize, okezone.com reported.

Meanwhile, leader of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Tifatul Sembiring said Saturday that the party, now with 8.1 percent of the vote, will enter a coalition with PD.

The National Mandate Party (PAN), with 6.2 percent of votes, has also said that it would ally with PD.

Outside the PDI-P meeting, protesters grouped as the Megawati’s Supporter Committee (KPM), voiced objections to the nomination of any prospective vice presidential candidates who were, “human rights violators, corruptors and the remains of the New Order regime.”

Prabowo was dismissed as chief of army special forces when his subordinates went on trial for the alleged 1997 abduction of activists.

Wiranto was acquitted by a human rights court on charges of rights violations in former East Timor. (hdt) 

Popular

Indonesia one step from Olympics after beating South Korea

Opposition weakens as rivals pledge support for Prabowo

Golden generation