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