T

he General Elections Commission (KPU) unveiled on Wednesday the names of the legislative candidates nominated by political parties, with the names of celebrities appearing in almost all of the lists.

Of all 13 political parties contesting the 2014 legislative elections, only the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) does not have celebrity candidates in its list.

From the list, there are at least 44 celebrities who will have to compete for votes with regular politicians, non-governmental activists and former athletes in the legislative election, scheduled for April next year.

The KPU is now verifying the documents of their candidacy and will announce the results of the process in two weeks'€™ time.

Several controversial figures, including lawyer Farhat Abbas, former police general Insp. Gen. Susno Duadji and graft suspect Thaib Armaiyn, appeared on the list.

Farhat has been placed in the spotlight for his ill-advised comments and publicity stunts that have attempted to draw attention to his '€œpresidential bid'€.

In December last year, Farhat said he was serious about running for the presidency in 2014.

Now, Farhat appears to have lowered his target. He is now being nominated by the ruling Democratic Party to represent the Jakarta III electoral districts that cover North Jakarta, West Jakarta and the Thousand Islands.

If deemed eligible to run by the KPU, Farhat will compete with the House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie, who appears at the top of the list representing the electoral district.

Farhat will also compete against Democratic Party deputy secretary-general Andi Nurpati.

Marzuki said he was confident that he could outdo Farhat or any other celebrities on the list, saying that '€œvoters in Jakarta are educated and rational because of their access to the media'€.

'€œPopularity will not be the only factor they must consider when giving their support to a [legislative] candidate,'€ Marzuki told reporters at his office on Wednesday.

Data from the KPU said that the National Mandate Party (PAN) had nominated the largest number of celebrities for the 2014 legislative election, including incumbents Primus Yustisio and former comedian Eko (Patrio) Hendro Purnomo.

Other celebrities who have been recruited by PAN include former soap opera actor Desy Ratnasari, 1980s film star Marissa Haque, television personality Gading Marten and his girlfriend Giselle Anastasia, former soap opera actor Jeremy Thomas and rock singer Anang Hermansyah.

The big names in the entertainment industry will have to compete with other senior PAN politicians, including Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan, who will run in the legislative race representing Lampung.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) came second in terms of parties with the largest number of celebrities as legislative candidates.

The party'€™s secretary general, Imam Nachrowi, said that at least seven percent of the party'€™s total 560 candidates were former and active celebrities.

Some of the celebrities hired by the PKB included comedian Akri Patrio, singer Ressa Herlambang, former catwalk model Arzetti Bilbina and Ridho Roma, the son of dangdut singer Rhoma Irama.

Rhoma'€™s younger brothers, Vicky and Dedi Irama, have also been nominated by the PKB to represent an electoral district in West Java.

PKS secretary-general Taufik Ridho said that the party was focusing on the quality of candidates.

'€œMany celebrities came to us, but we have decided to not recruit them for now,'€ he said.