Cak Nur's bid for presidency hailed

Cak Nur's bid for presidency hailed

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A leading political analyst and a politician have hailed noted
Muslim intellectual Nurcholish Madjid's announcement that he will
contest the 2004 presidential election, and his call for other
independent figures to follow suit.

Syamsuddin Haris of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
(LIPI) and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien
Rais said the announcement would give an important lesson to the
nation in the future.

"We can't elect a president randomly without knowing their
backgrounds and track records. We must elect somebody who is
ready to be a president to lead the nation," Syamsuddin told The
Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Nurcholish, popularly known as Cak Nur, said Monday that he
was ready to lead the nation if political parties asked him to
contest the election. He also outlined his policies.

The amended 1945 Constitution states that presidential and
vice presidential candidates are nominated by political parties
or by a coalition of parties.

Syamsuddin criticized several figures who appeared reluctant
to be nominated for the presidency but actually had strong
ambitions to assume the country's number one position.

He said other public figures, including Nahdlatul Ulama leader
Hasyim Muzadi and former chief of the Indonesian Military
Wiranto, would soon announce they were running for president.

It is hoped the landmark direct presidential election will
build a more democratic and legitimate government.

A number of parties such as Golkar and the National Awakening
Party (PKB) have reportedly expressed interest in naming Cak Nur
as their presidential candidate.

Amien, also chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said
he was preparing to launch his bid.

"I have called on everyone to join a more democratic
presidential race without any legal limitations," he was quoted
by Antara as saying.

Amien said Nurcholish's bid would enliven the election race.

He said that the more candidates there were, the merrier the
competition, and the better it was for voters who would have more
choice, rather than just two or three competing pairs.