'Candidates must come from party'

'Candidates must come from party'

JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz indicated here Monday that the nomination of presidential and vice presidential candidates in the upcoming general election should come from the political party, and not from any other agency.

"The vice president agrees that the nomination of presidential and vice presidential candidates should come from the political party," chairman of the "Ansor" Youth Movement, Saifullah Yusuf, told reporters following a meeting with Hamzah at the latter's office.

Speaking about the proposed requirement that only political parties which win a minimum 20 percent of the vote returns in the election will be eligible to nominate their presidential and vice presidential candidates, Hamzah pointed out that the percentage is still negotiable.

"But of course, there should be a minimum percentage requirement, because each pair of presidential and vice presidential candidates must have certain support from the public," the vice president was quoted as saying.

Hamzah suggested that the nomination of the presidential and vice presidential candidates be made after the legislative election, when the people's support for a political party is already known.

"Before the legislative election, it will be virtually impossible to know the percentage of support being enjoyed by a political party among the public," Hamzah said. --Antara