Grassroots ready for Susilo's campaign for presidency<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A group of professionals, religious leaders, students,
\norganizations and senior military officers announced on Friday a
\nmovement to gather support for presidential hopeful Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
Susilo was not present for the announcement but met with
\nsenior military officers earlier in the day to share his
\npolitical vision before attending Friday prayers at the Jakarta
\nMilitary Command.<\/p>\n
Susilo was chief of staff of the city's military command in
\n1996, the year of the attack on the Jakarta headquarters of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) to oust a camp led by current
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Claiming to be independent, the group said Susilo should
\nengage more with the grassroots if he was serious about becoming
\npresident. Yani Wahid, a member of the movement, said Susilo was
\na \"new phenomenon who brings promise to the uncertain political
\nsituation\".<\/p>\n
The group, which said it was funded by individual members,
\nadded that it was ready to educate people about how to best
\nchannel their political aspirations, and would establish \"posts\"
\nnationwide to introduce their presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
As of late Friday, Susilo's three-year-old Democratic Party
\nstood fifth in the provisional tally from the April 5 legislative
\nelection with 7 million votes, or about 8 percent of the over 147
\nmillion registered voters.<\/p>\n
Because it has garnered more than 5 percent of the popular
\nvote and stands to win more than 3 percent of the seats in the
\n550-seat House of Representatives, the Democratic Party is
\neligible to nominate a candidate for the July 5 presidential
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Political parties must register their presidential candidates
\nfrom May 1 to May 7.<\/p>\n
Over the past several weeks, Susilo has met with several party
\nleaders, including Abdurrahman Wahid from the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB), Yusril Ihza Mahendra from the Crescent Star Party
\n(PBB), Hidayat Nur Wahid from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)
\nand several executives from the Golkar Party.<\/p>\n
Susilo has yet to declare which party he is working with or
\nindicate a possible vice presidential running mate.<\/p>\n
During Friday's meeting with some 25 senior military officers,
\nSusilo outlined his political vision for the nation.<\/p>\n
Those in attendance included Lt. Gen. (ret) Harsudiono Hartas,
\na former military chief of social and political affairs, Lt. Gen.
\n(ret) Kharis Suhud, a former speaker of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly, and Lt. Gen. (ret) TB Silalahi, a former minister of
\nadministrative reform.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/grassroots-ready-for-susilos-campaign-for-presidency-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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