JP\/2\/Hasyim<\/p>\n
Presidential candidates solicit more support as election nears<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The two presidential candidates camps intensified their efforts
\non Saturday to garner more support nationwide as the Sept. 20
\npresidential election runoff draws near.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, vice presidential hopeful Hasyim Muzadi visited on
\nSaturday, Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid, chief patron of the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB), at Cipto Mangunkusumo General
\nHospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur was hospitalized a few days ago after his insulin
\nlevel surged above normal.<\/p>\n
The visit was apparently aimed at mending Hasyim's strained
\nrelationship with Gus Dur, as well as garnering support from him
\nand his partner in the election.<\/p>\n
Emerging from Gus Dur's hospital room, Hasyim, the running
\nmate of Megawati Soekarnoputri, dismissed allegations that he and
\nGus Dur were making political deals.<\/p>\n
\"We just shared a light moment together, we joked a lot. The
\nonly thing we talked seriously about was the recent release of
\nMalaysian former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim,\" he was
\nquoted by Antara as saying on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur is a prominent figure in densely populated East Java
\nprovince, where he has a large following in the Nadhlatul Ulama
\n(NU), the largest Muslim organization in the country. It boasts
\nsome 40 million followers nationwide, with a stronghold in East
\nJava. Gus Dur, a former NU chairman, is the grandson of the late
\nHasyim As'ari, the founder of the organization.<\/p>\n
Separately, presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
\nfrom Hasyim's rival camp, visited Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
\nprovince on the same day, where he held talks with Muslim clerics
\nin the strife-torn province. In the meeting, Susilo reiterated
\nhis promise that he would return peace in the province should he
\nbe elected.<\/p>\n
Earlier on the same day, Susilo held a similar meeting with
\nthe Christian community in Medan, North Sumatra province, where
\nhe vowed to eradicate chronic corruption in the country.<\/p>\n
The same promise was made by his running mate Jusuf Kalla in
\nPadang, West Sumatra province, where he vowed that if he and
\nSusilo were elected, his administration would appoint a clean and
\nresolute attorney general and National Police chief during their
\nfirst three months in office.<\/p>\n
In Banjarmasin, Central Kalimantan province, Golkar Party
\nleader Akbar Tandjung again drummed up support for Megawati's bid
\nfor the presidency, calling on the party's rank and file in the
\ncity to help her be reelected. Speaking during the declaration of
\nthe province's Nationhood Coalition that supports Megawati's bid
\nfor the presidency, Akbar said that supporting Megawati had been
\na party decision, so that all members of the party had to support
\nit fully. Those who refuse to support Megawati in the
\npresidential election runoff will be severe punished, said Akbar.<\/p>\n
Later on in the afternoon, Akbar flew back to Jakarta to
\nattend a youth gathering that declared support for Megawati's bid
\nfor the presidency. The gathering was attended by some 2,000
\nyouths, claiming that they represented 25 youth organizations
\nnationwide.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp2hasyim-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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