Megawati presidency backed<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Seven branches of the minority Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) in Central Java have asked party
\nchairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri to run in the next
\npresidential election in 1998.<\/p>\n
The branches in a joint statement said the party should
\nnominate Megawati to run for president at the gathering of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in 1998.<\/p>\n
Megawati has fulfilled the requirements to run for the post,
\nsaid the statement signed by representatives from PDI branches in
\nthe regencies of Brebes, Batang, Pemalang, Slawi, Tegal and
\nPekalongan as well as from the city of Pekalongan.<\/p>\n
Megawati, the daughter of Indonesia's first president,
\nSukarno, was swept to PDI leadership in the party's congress in
\n1993, despite earlier attempts by the government to block her
\ncandidacy.<\/p>\n
The call for her to run for the presidency came as a number of
\norganizations began calling on President Soeharto to stay at the
\nhelm when his current sixth term in office ends in two years
\ntime.<\/p>\n
GM Gakari, a youth organization under the ruling political
\norganization Golkar, set the ball rolling this month when it
\npublicly announced that the country still needs the incumbent 74-
\nyear old President to see it through the next century.<\/p>\n
A former close aide of the President, Sudomo, has also stated
\nthat Soeharto is \"unbeatable\" and that no other candidate could
\nmatch the vision and capability of the incumbent.<\/p>\n
The PDI branch leaders in their statement said that Megawati
\nis a democratic fighter and has grassroots groups' support.<\/p>\n
\"There are a host of other reasons why we're nominating
\nMegawati. She is simple, honest, non-materialistic and an
\nuncomplicated figure,\" according to their statement.<\/p>\n
Nominations for the presidency does not officially begin until
\nthe MPR opens its gathering in March 1998.<\/p>\n
Soeharto has been elected sixth times by the MPR, each time
\nrunning unopposed, with PDI consistently failing to field an
\nalternative candidate. (har\/31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-presidency-backed-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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