Betawi group registers 8 candidates

JAKARTA: The Native Jakartans Association (Bamus Betawi) will register eight candidates for the next gubernatorial election.

Its chairman, Abdul Syukur, said on Saturday that all their candidates are Betawi people. They are M. Djaelani, Fauzi Bowo, Siti Nurbaya, M. Sanip, Mahfud Djaelani, Abdul Radjak, Dadang Hamadani and M. M. S. Ali.

"We'll register their names, all as governor candidates not as their deputies, at the City Council," he said.

Abdul claimed the nominations reflected the public's political aspirations, who want a Betawi person as the next governor.

He also claimed to have met Amien Rais, chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the National Mandate Party (PAN), who had approved the nomination. -- JP