Gus Dur ready for reelection<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Former president Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid reiterated
\nhis desire on Thursday to run again for the 2004 direct
\npresidential election if asked by Muslim clerics.<\/p>\n
\"If ordered by ulemas (Muslim clerics) to run for president in
\n2004, I will do so,\" the Antara news agency quoted him as saying
\nin a discussion at the office of his National Awakening Party
\n(PKB), Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur, 61, was still the first choice of presidential
\nhopefuls nominated by PKB, according to deputy party chairman
\nMahfud M.D recently.<\/p>\n
Claiming he never wanted to become president, Gus Dur said
\nthat in the 1999 elections he was also asked by ulemas to run for
\npower.<\/p>\n
If reelected president in 2004, he said he would focus on
\nthree key matters: creating a new political system, adopting a
\nfree market economy and promoting rational efficiency.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur, a virtually blind cleric, was ousted as president by
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on unproven charges of
\ncorruption and incompetence in July last year. The MPR also
\nelected the then vice president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, to
\nreplace him.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur defeated Megawati in the 1999 race for the presidency,
\ndespite the fact her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) won the general election earlier. --Antara<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-ready-for-reelection-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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