Wiranto wins, Susilo alters tactics<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Presidential aspirant Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with running
\nmate Jusuf Kalla on Wednesday, apparently to draw up a strategy
\nfor the July 5 election.<\/p>\n
The closed-door meeting, held at Dharmawangsa Hotel in
\nKebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, was also attended by leaders of
\nthe newly established Democratic Party, and campaign strategists
\nof both Susilo and Kalla.<\/p>\n
Susilo, however, refused to comment on the meeting, while
\nKalla immediately left the hotel at around 1 p.m. for the office
\nof the coordinating minister of people's welfare to attend a
\nfarewell party for himself with his staff.<\/p>\n
A reliable source said the meeting discussed campaign
\nstrategies Susilo and Kalla would pursue to win the country's
\nfirst ever direct presidential election on July 5.<\/p>\n
The source also said the meeting aimed at adjusting their
\nstrategies after Gen. (ret) Wiranto won Golkar's presidential
\nconvention on April 20.<\/p>\n
\"It was never thought that Wiranto would win the convention as
\nmany earlier predicted that Akbar would come out on top,\" said
\nthe source, referring to Wiranto's rival and Golkar leader Akbar
\nTandjung.<\/p>\n
Kalla later said Wiranto's victory would not affect his
\npairing with Susilo, which would be officially announced next
\nweek.<\/p>\n
\"This (presidential election) will be a neck-and-neck race
\nbetween two generals and they must prepare themselves. I myself
\nwill still pair with Susilo,\" Kalla said on the sidelines of the
\nfarewell party.<\/p>\n
\"During the meeting at Dharmawangsa Hotel this morning, we
\nagreed to meet regularly every other day to arrange campaign
\nstrategies,\" Kalla said.<\/p>\n
Susilo and Kalla have topped surveys of voter preferences for
\npresident and vice president in the July 5 election, with the
\nstock market warmly welcoming the pair.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta stock index hit a historic high of 810.86 on
\nTuesday, a surge that dealers and traders attributed to the
\nmarket-friendly political development.<\/p>\n
Susilo, a retired Army general, resigned from his post as
\ncoordinating minister for political and security affairs on March
\n9, while Kalla, a successful businessman from Makassar, South
\nSulawesi, left his ministerial post on Monday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, leaders of the National Mandate Party (PKB) held a
\nmeeting on Wednesday with leaders of the Prosperous Justice Party
\n(PKS), in what they called a dialog among political leaders.<\/p>\n
PKB leader Mahfud M.D. said after the meeting that it would be
\ndifficult for his party to form a coalition with President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.<\/p>\n
Megawati replaced Abdurrahman Wahid, PKB's founder, in July
\n2001 after the People's Consultative Assembly impeached the
\nlatter.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wiranto-wins-susilo-alters-tactics-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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