Golkar picks Gus Solah As VP candidate

Golkar picks Gus Solah As VP candidate

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung said early on Sunday that his party
was was nearly set to name Solahuddin "Gus Solah" Wahid as the
running mate for Wiranto, but his brother, Gus Dur's surprise
announcement later in the day threw that plan into serious doubt.

"We have approved Gus Solah as our vice presidential
candidate. But we need the full support from PKB. If they (PKB)
fail to respond to our request, Golkar will seek alternative
candidates, including from PPP," Akbar said, referring to the
United Development Party, whose leader Hamzah Haz has failed to
forge another partnership with Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle's (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri. Megawati picked
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi as her running mate
last week.

"A coalition with PPP is an alternative. If it fails, we will
find a vice presidential candidate from inside our party," Akbar
said.

Akbar would not disclose the potential candidates from Golkar,
but he has ruled himself out.

Golkar has planned to announce its pair on Monday.

PKB patron Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid decided late on Sunday
to contest the presidency, with his running mates being chosen
from among Sophan Sophiaan of PDI-P, Marwah Daud Ibrahim of
Golkar and Ryas Rasyid of the United Democratic Nationhood Party
(PPDK).

With Gus Dur now running, PKB would not likely approve his
brother for another party.

Separately, PPP announced it would take a final stance
regarding its presidential/vice presidential bid on Monday.

"(It) will be decided on Monday. There must be a stance (about
the election)," a party member, Arief Mudakir Mahdan, said after
a meeting at Hamzah's private residence in Bogor on Sunday.

Arief said PPP's "team of five", who are responsible for the
party's bid in the presidential election, had narrowed it down to
two options in response to the hectic political developments in
the run-up to the presidential election.

"PPP is open to a partnership with Wiranto, the Golkar
presidential candidate or to set up a new coalition among the
Muslim-based and nationalist parties, with the PKB and PPP as the
driving force of the coalition," Arief said.

He added that the alternative coalition would also lead to
naming candidates.

KPU will close the registration for the election on May 12.

Meanwhile in Medan, Hasyim Muzadi insisted he would not resign
as NU chairman but was ready to be nonactive during the election
campaign throughout June.

"NU statutes do not require me to resign, we have a deputy
chairman of NU, Said Agil Al Munawar, the Minister of Religious
Affairs," Hasyim said on Sunday.

Hasyim was responding to growing demands that he relinquish
his top post he took over from Gus Dur in 1999, the last
presidential election. More pressure to that end was applied on
Sunday by the Yogyakarta chapter of NU's youth wing Ansor.