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PBB targets at least 8 million votes
The Crescent Star Party (PBB) is targeting to garner at least 8 million votes in the upcoming legislative election, a party official has said
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he Crescent Star Party (PBB) is targeting to garner at least 8 million votes in the upcoming legislative election, a party official has said.
'The target is aimed at achieving the electoral threshold and/or saving the party to ensure its existence,' said PBB chairman MS Kaban in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Thursday as quoted by Antara.
The former forestry minister said he was optimistic that the PBB could meet the target and he therefore hoped the party's South Kalimantan chapter could win at least two seats at the House of Representatives in the April 9 legislative election.
'Although the party's South Kalimantan chapter failed to secure seats at Senayan in the 2009 election, we hope that in the upcoming election, we can secure at least two of the 11 seats allocated,' Kaban said.
'South Kalimantan seems to have potential for the PBB. In the 1999 and 2004 elections, the party's South Kalimantan chapter got seats at the House, even though it was just one person,' he went on.
To win as many votes as possible, Kaban said the PBB South Kalimantan should focus not only on Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) as its main support base but also on all of elements of society, including preman (thugs).
'Preman are also humans with the right to vote,' said Kaban.
Meanwhile, the head of the party's provincial branch, Pangeran Ibrahim, said he was optimistic that in this year's election, the PBB could win more votes than in the previous election.
'Moreover, South Kalimantan residents who are mostly Muslim are quite enthusiastic and many of them are ready to support the party, which takes a firm stance against vote-buying,' he said. (idb/ebf)
