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212 rally alumni to select candidates for 2019 presidential election
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Solidarity: Participants of a 212 reunion rally conduct religious activities at the National Monument on Dec. 2, 2017. (Antara/Zarqoni Maksum)
T
he 212 rally alumni group has set up an independent committee that will select would-be-candidates for the 2019 presidential election to challenge President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s reelection bid.
The committee's executive chairman, Yudi Syamhudi Sayuti, said the independent body would select the candidates using several criteria. “We want to select a candidate that is strong enough to face Jokowi,” he said as quoted by tempo.co on Monday.
The alumni group comprises Islamic groups and activists that participated in street protests to call for the prosecution of then Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for blasphemy in 2016.
Yudi said the candidate must be a Muslim, a political figure or chairman of a political party not supporting Jokowi, a national-scale religious leader and a national leader or scholar.
The final day of registration is May 20. The committee said it would select 40 people deemed suitable for the presidency. The six strongest candidates will be recommended to the 212 Alumni Presidium before going through the official nomination process.
The selection method could help to avoid the development of a single axis of power that could hurt democracy in the country, Yudi said, adding that it would allow for the Indonesian people to participate in the decision-making process. “We want them to get involved in making political decisions,” he said. (sha/ebf)
