Convicted fraudster Akbar enters presidential race
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Close to tears, veteran politician Akbar Tandjung handed in his application form to contest the race for the Golkar party's candidate for the 2004 general elections.
"My leadership experience has provided me with enough reasons to take part in the Golkar convention," Akbar, struggling for words, told reporters after submitting his application form. He was referring to his track record of chairmanship in numerous organizations.
It was not immediately clear why Akbar was so emotional. The Golkar party chairman, who has been convicted and sentenced to jail for stealing Rp 40 billion earmarked to feed Indonesia's most needy, said he completed his registration forms in front of his family on Thursday morning.
Apart from his leadership experience, Akbar also based his decision to enter the presidential race on the support from 22 of the 31 Golkar chapters throughout the country, he said.
The current Speaker of the House of Representatives was flanked by his wife Krisnina Maharani and his two daughters at Golkar party headquarters. Actress Nurul Arifin was seen among his entourage.
In his youth, Akbar was chairman of a number of organizations, including the Indonesian Muslim Students Association (HMI), the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) and the Young Renewal Generation of Indonesia (AMPI).
Thursday was the last day for Golkar presidential hopefuls to submit applications. A day earlier, another strong Golkar candidate, former TNI chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto, submitted his application.
Akbar's move to enter the presidential race through Golkar, the electoral machine of autocrat Soeharto, has been widely expected. In the autocrat's 32-year rule, Akbar held ministerial posts in four different cabinets between 1988 and 1999.
Those postings included Minister of Youth and Sport, Minister of Housing, Minister of Housing and Settlement and the State Secretary.
Akbar said he would resign from the presidential race in the Golkar convention if his appeal to the Supreme Court regarding his conviction in a multi-billion corruption case was rejected.
He has been sentenced to three years' jail but remains free pending the appeal.
He also said he would be willing to accept the vice presidential candidacy.
"The vice presidential candidacy has been decided at the recent Golkar leaders' meeting, and I must respect it," Akbar said.
Wiranto, on the other hand, has said that he would only be willing to run for president.
The election will be held between June and August next year, preceded by general elections in April.
Among the forms Akbar submitted was a curriculum vitae, letters of intent, a letter from the court saying that Akbar had not been sentenced to five years in jail and other requirements.
Other presidential hopefuls who submitted their applications forms Thursday were media baron Surya Paloh, educator Kemala Motik Abdul Gafur, businessman Rifai Siata and businessman cum artist Setyawan Djodi, bringing the total number of Golkar candidates to 19.
The number will be trimmed to five at Golkar's convention in October and to one in February next year.