Kalla claims strong support for presidential candidacy

Kalla claims strong support for presidential candidacy

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla has
declared himself ready to compete in the Golkar convention to
select its presidential candidate in next year's election.

The minister said on Thursday that to compete in the
convention he had gained the support of 10 of Golkar's provincial
chapters. He did not mention which provinces, but the chapter in
his home province South Sulawesi has announced its support for
his candidacy.

"I am optimistic that I will emerge the winner of the
convention. I would not run if I didn't have the confidence that
I will win," he told reporters on the sidelines of a press
conference on the 2004 holidays here.

South Sulawesi Governor and chairman of Golkar's chapter in
the region Amien Syam, said chapters in Kalimantan, Jambi, West
Sumatra and South Sumatra would join South Sulawesi in supporting
Kalla's presidential bid.

Kalla said he had formed his team of success to assist him in
his candidacy in the convention.

He refused to comment on whether he was prepared for a
challenge from Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung.

Akbar, a convict in a graft case, has not officially announced
his bid for the presidency. He met former president Abdurrahman
Wahid on Monday and visited several of Nahdlatul Ulama's
respected clerics in the West Java town of Cirebon on Tuesday in
a move which many have linked to his desire to run for the
presidency.

So far only former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. (ret)
Wiranto and Golkar deputy chairperson Marwah Daud Ibrahim have
been registered by their supporters for the convention, which
opened for accepting nominees last Friday.

Wiranto was nominated by a youth organization, Garda Muda
Merah Putih, while Marwah was nominated by 100 people in Kutai,
East Kalimantan. A candidate must win support from at least 500
people to compete in the convention.

Formerly a businessman, Kalla has all the credentials to win
the candidacy, most notably his role as a mediator between
warring Muslims and Christians in Maluku and the Central Sulawesi
town of Poso. Some 8,000 people were killed in the sectarian
conflict which dragged on between 1999 and 2002.

To woo popular support, Kalla will raise the issues of justice
and eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism as the main
thrust of his campaign.

Kalla also said that if Golkar gained only 20 percent of the
national vote and it decided to vie only for the vice presidency,
he would be ready to be paired with candidates from any party.

Many have expected a coalition between ruling Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle and Golkar in the presidential
election, with Megawati Soekarnoputri and Kalla deemed as a dream
team.

Other names that have been put on the Golkar list of possible
presidential candidates include respected Muslim scholar
Nurcholish Madjid, Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former commander of
the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret)
Prabowo Subianto and Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.

Golkar will short-list the candidates in October and will
decide on its sole candidate during the national convention
slated for February next year.

All figures proposed by party chapters and mass organizations
will be asked to present their vision and mission in the
provinces and regencies in the lead up to the national
convention.