PPP to select would-be leaders<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) has promised
\nit will carefully select presidential and vice presidential
\ncandidates for 1998\/2003 and will name only deserving people to
\nbe brought to the People's Consultative Assembly next March.<\/p>\n
PPP deputy secretary Bachtiar Chamsyah defined yesterday those
\n\"deserving nominees\" as those who are capable of leading the
\ncountry despite the mounting future challenges.<\/p>\n
\"We will select only strong figures, because we are entering a
\nstrategic period called globalization. It needs a thorough
\ndeliberation, therefore, to name the candidates,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Executives of the Moslem-based party and its provincial
\nbranches will convene today and tomorrow to discuss, among other
\nthings, presidential and vice presidential nominees. The
\nleadership meeting will be held behind closed doors.<\/p>\n
Party chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum will open the gathering
\ntoday and is expected to announce the results of the meeting
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
PPP deputy chairman Jusuf Syakir said the party had received a
\n\"huge number\" of proposals of names for candidates for the
\nstate's top posts from its provincial branches, from individuals
\nand social groups.<\/p>\n
Jusuf refused to mention any names, but said they included
\npublic figures supported by several organizations recently.<\/p>\n
\"So far, we have listed more than one nominee for each of the
\ntop jobs. Whether we will finally have only one name or more for
\neach post will depend much on the forum,\" Jusuf said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Golkar has been the only political grouping to publicly
\nannounce its support for the renomination of incumbent President
\nSoeharto. However, just like the PPP and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), the dominant group has refused to reveal
\nits vice presidential nominee.<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta branch of PPP has nominated government critic
\nand chairman of Moslem organization Muhammadiyah Amien Rais for
\nthe presidential seat and Ismail for the vice presidential post.<\/p>\n
PPP's East Java office backs Soeharto's renomination and has
\npicked incumbent Try Sutrisno, Ismail, Amien and Abdurrahman
\nWahid -- chairman of the country's largest Moslem organization --
\nfor the state's second highest position.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said that all of the proposed names will be
\nscrutinized by participants of the meeting. \"We welcome all
\naspirations from the grassroots, but we need acceptable arguments
\n(as to why they support certain names),\" he said.<\/p>\n
Once the selection is completed, the PPP faction at the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly will ask the candidates that they
\naccept their nomination, Yusuf said.<\/p>\n
The 1,000-strong Assembly will convene in March next year to
\nelect the president and vice president for the 1998\/2003 period.<\/p>\n
PDI secretary-general Buttu Hutapea said the minority party
\nwould select its candidates in February next year. (amd)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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