NU officials court presidential hopefuls<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari and Indra Harsaputra, Jakarta\/Surabaya<\/p>\n
The Golkar Party agreed on Monday to devote its energies to
\nforging a coalition with the National Awakening Party (PKB) to
\nwin the presidential election.<\/p>\n
The party will also select whoever is approved by PKB
\ncofounder Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid as the running mate for
\nWiranto, who won the Golkar convention last week.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said he and Wiranto would visit
\nGus Dur in the coming two or three days to ask for his preferred
\ncandidate for Wiranto's running mate.<\/p>\n
\"We need a coalition with a party with strong support both in
\nthe grassroots and the House of Representatives to ensure victory
\nand a stable government,\" Akar said after a meeting between top
\nGolkar executives and Wiranto, the first of its kind since the
\nconvention. The meeting ended 11:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Both Akbar and Wiranto acknowledged Gus Dur as a national
\nfigure and PKB leader to reckon with.<\/p>\n
\"We need a vice presidential candidate whom he endorses,\" said
\nformer Indonesian Military chief Wiranto, who has met Gus Dur
\nseveral times recently.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) began on Monday a halaqoh
\n(national ulema gathering), which has invited five presidential
\ncandidates who are expected to be pitted against each other in
\nthe July 5 election.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri was the first to turn up as
\nshe opened the event at Somerset Hotel on Monday evening.<\/p>\n
Megawati, who is the presidential candidate from the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), met with NU
\nchairman Hasyim Muzadi and 24 influential NU clerics, including
\nAbdullah Faqih and Masduki Mahfud, shortly after the ceremony.<\/p>\n
No official statement, however, was given following the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
Other presidential candidates, Amien Rais, Wiranto and Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono, will arrive on Tuesday to speak in the ensuing
\nseminar on public participation in the first direct presidential
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Megawati, Amien of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Wiranto
\nof the Golkar Party and Susilo of the Democratic Party are
\nexpected to contest the first-ever presidential election. Susilo
\nis the only aspirant to have disclosed a running mate.<\/p>\n
Hasyim has reportedly been courted by the PDI-P and Golkar,
\nbut said on Monday no party had officially asked him to contest
\nthe election as a running mate of its presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
\"Let's just wait and see because even I do not know when (to
\nmake a decision). The NU is not in a position to determine its
\npreferred presidential and vice presidential candidates,\" Hasyim
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In her opening speech, Megawati asked the elected president to
\nterminate their loyalty to whatever political party they came
\nfrom but emerge as a leader to serve the nation.<\/p>\n
\"The elected president and vice president should no longer
\nfall under the influence of other state institutions or parties
\nthat supported their election,\" the President told the audience.<\/p>\n
Like previous presidents, Megawati did not resign as PDI-P
\nchairwoman, at the party's request. Only the founding president,
\nher father Sukarno, switched loyalty from his party to the
\nnation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-officials-court-presidential-hopefuls-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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