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n Aug. 30, the independent committee for the Democratic Party's presidential convention announced 12 names to take part in its convention to select a candidate for next year presidential election.

They are Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) deputy head Ali Masykur Musa; Paramadina University rector Anis R. Baswedan; State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan; Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Dino Patti Djalal; former military commander Gen. (ret) Endriartono Sutarto; Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan; member of the Democratic Party's advisory board Hayono Isman; chairman of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Irman Gusman; House of Representatives' Speaker Marzuki Alie, who is also deputy chair of the Democratic Party's Supreme Council; former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret) Pramono Edhie Wibowo; and North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Harry Saroendajang.

The Democratic Party convention had a nasty surprise following the last-minute decision of Mahfud MD, the former Constitutional Court chief justice, not to participate in the party's upcoming convention. Having considered input from his close friends and leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama, Mahfud said he was not convinced that the party would support the winner of the convention as its actual candidate.

This is particularly true as there are no explicit rules in place and the party's chairman President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has the power to veto the popular choice.

With the party's convention just around the corner, many view this as a major blunder despite the party officials' commitment to being open to the idea of allowing outsiders to take part in the convention. Yudhoyono has never declared that the purpose of the convention is not simply to legitimize the first family's dynasty-building efforts and to divert attention away from the litany of corruption scandals plaguing the Democrats.

Yudhoyono's assurance is instrumental in showing his statesmanship by not getting involved in the convention. The absence of Yudhoyono's guarantee reinforces the notion that the Democratic Party convention is just political theater, which will set the scene for Pramono, who is also Yudhoyono's brother-in-law, to join the race. It is a family-oriented convention that will lose the party its wider appeal.

Yudhoyono should have learned from Anas Urbaningrum's election as party chairman in 2010. Anas did not have Yudhoyono's blessing, but Yudhoyono had to accept circumstances that were not to his liking. Hence, it should be the same at the upcoming convention.

Along with the likely Yudhoyono elements in the convention, the whole idea of this convention by the Democratic Party may lose even more of its luster, especially when two national figures like Jusuf Kalla and Mahfud have declined to take part. Like it or not, the spate of high-profile rejections will further damage the already questionable credibility of the Democrats' convention. Though Dahlan might enjoy wide popular appeal he is not polling well enough to stand a realistic chance against other potential presidential contenders next year.

The Democrats' convention becomes even more problematic as the committee requires those participating in the convention to leave their respective parties, such as the case with Gen. Endriartono Sutarto. Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, who has taken over the position of the head of the Nasdem Party advisory council following the resignation of Endriartono, accused President Yudhoyono of crossing the line of what is politically ethical. She complained about the Democratic Party's lack of notification to Nasdem prior to the announcement. To her, poaching opposition party members is a morally dubious political act.

In truth, the Democratic Party convention is trying to be inclusive. The convention held by the Democrats to select its candidate appears to be fairer than a similar event held by Golkar in the lead up to the 2004 general elections.

The Democrats are more open about their convention than was Golkar, including in the selection of candidates. Even some of the Democrats' convention selection team are not members of the party, and also they will involve a survey organization when selecting the winner.

Yet such inclusivity remains far from satisfying as the convention committee has not made public the criteria required by the participants. The committee members must be straightforward about clear-cut criteria and requirements such as experience in leading a high-ranking state institution, broad-based acceptability and international acceptability and reputation.

While it would be perilous to give the presidential position to someone who will waste time and energy learning the basics of state administration and bureaucratic leadership, selecting someone who is well received and has a proven pluralist stance in society is a basic given.

In terms of international reputation, the presidential candidate must be a leader who is well respected for his far-reaching vision and ideas on the role of Indonesia as a regional and global player as well as a lucrative investment destination.

The party committee ought to be able to rectify the public's doubts about the convention's credibility. The path the Democrats have chosen in selecting their candidate for the 2014 presidential election is good for Indonesian democracy.

A lengthy party convention such as that of the Democrats should allow for outstanding candidates to challenge each other and debate the topics that matter for the nation's future. The Democratic Party is one of Indonesia's most powerful political parties, so whoever is finally chosen must be a serious contender for the presidency.

The writer is a lecturer in the faculty of cultural sciences at Andalas University, Padang.