Amien to name VP hopeful after poll

Amien to name VP hopeful after poll

SURABAYA: Presidential hopeful Amien Rais said on Thursday
that he would choose his vice presidential running mate only
after the outcome of the 2004 legislative election in April next
year.

Amien, who chairs the National Mandate Party (PAN), hinted
that the announcement of the nominee could be done by the end of
April, after it is known which parties were biggest vote-getters.

Amien did not explain the political calculation behind the
delay in naming his Vice Presidential hopeful. But he said that
his presidential campaign team was currently exploring
possibilities to pick the best choice available.

"We don't need to rush, and we should thoroughly determine who
would be the best vice presidential nominee," said Amien, before
giving a lecture at the Malang Muhammadiyah University.

In the recent PAN National Meeting in Makassar, the party came
out with 10 names of possible vice presidential candidates.

That list included Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Agum Gumelar,
Yusuf Kalla, Marwah Daud Ibrahim, Kwik Kian Gie, Hasyim Muzadi,
Syaifullah Yusuf, Abdullah Gymnastiar, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono
X and Rachmawati Soekarnoputri. --JP