Amien to seek foreign support<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais is
\nto seek international support for his presidential bid in 2004
\nalong with his running mate, likely from the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI).<\/p>\n
Amien, also People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker,
\nembarked for Canberra on Sunday to meet with Australian Prime
\nMinister John Howard to solicit his support.<\/p>\n
Speaking here on Saturday, Amien said he was also seeking a
\nchance to meet U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington for a
\nsimilar purpose.<\/p>\n
\"If President George Bush is the world's sheriff, then John
\nHoward is often dubbed as the deputy sheriff. There is no harm if
\nI visit the deputy before meeting with the sheriff,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another reason for Amien to visit Australia for one week was
\nthat he has a close relationship with Howard, whom he described
\nas his \"good friend\".<\/p>\n
Amien said he had decided to select a retired general as his
\npresidential running mate in a move to gain support from TNI,
\nwhich remains among the most powerful forces in politics.<\/p>\n
However, he declined to name the retired general in question.<\/p>\n
In order to win support from nationalist groups, Amien went to
\nthe tomb of founding president Sukarno last June in Blitar, East
\nJava. He was accompanied at that time by Sukarno's daughter
\nRachmawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Amien and Rachmawati are among presidential candidates to
\nchallenge the incumbent, Megawati Soekarnoputri, her sister. --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/amien-to-seek-foreign-support-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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