T

he newly founded Indonesian Solidarity Society for Justice (SMIK) has named former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati as its presidential candidate for the 2014 election.

The SMIK, which is not yet a poli tical party, was established to groom a national leader who is honest, decisive, capable and courageous, communications expert Wimar Witoelar said at the declaration event in Bandarlampung on Wednesday.

“We believe Ibu Sri Mulyani Indrawati is a figure with integrity. She has been able to maintain the principles of public ethics in managing the country. She also remained true to her conscience and has never been involved in a conflict of interest, including the Bank Century case,” Wimar said in his address.

Critics have demanded that Sri Mulyani be held responsible for her actions as finance minister in bailing out Bank Century, although the SMIK’s declaration was evidence that, for some, her popularity was not tarnished by the bailout.

“We see those qualities in Ibu Sri Mulyani Indrawati. We are no longer hesitant to support her in the presidential election in 2014,” Wimar, who was the spokesman for former president Abdurrachman “Gus Dur” Wahid, said.

Despite the nomination, Wimar said that the SMIK, which has offices only in Jakarta and Bandarlampung, had not yet registered as a political party.

“Lampung is the second province to have backed the establishment of the SMIK. We will work as a modern organization and provide political education to people as well as promote public ethics. The SMIK will also organize the political environment to create a quality leader,” Wimar said.

University of Indonesia’s philosophy lecturer Rocky Gerung said Indonesian women had always been marginalized, especially in politics, and that only through hard work would their condition improve.

“The existence of women in Indonesia is less recognized. They are in a marginal position and are still being marginalized,” Gerung said.

SMIK co-founder Robertus Robert, also a philosopher, said that Mulyani had proven that she was able to overcome all accusations directed at her from the agents of neo-liberalism about her involvement in the Bank Century case.

“She is one of those figures who is able to promote public ethics for the sake of the people’s interests. She has high integrity and was not easily pressured or agitated by the political interests around her at that time. That is the basis for the establishment of the SMIK,” Robertus said.

Another Lampung SMIK initiator, Ahmad Yulden Erwin, said Lampung had emotional ties with Mulyani, so the SMIK was quick to establish a branch in Lampung.

“Ibu Sri Mulyani grew up and went to school in Lampung city. The people of Lampung recognize her as a native Lampung resident,” Erwin said.

Erwin claimed several anticorruption activists and NGOs supported the SMIK’s vision.

“We definitely don’t want a person whose integrity is doubted. We believe Ibu Sri Mulyani is still on the same path as we are, which is to defend the rights of the people by upholding public ethics,” Erwin said.