Mega's running mate: Military or Muslim leader

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri will take either a top military or Muslim leader as her running mate in her bid to win her first full five-year term in the election in July.

Speaking in front of 2,500 legislative candidates from her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) here on Tuesday, Megawati said she had been eyeing several figures to be her running mate.

"She said she had been studying several names who she will choose as her partner," the party's deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said.

The appointed running mate will match the basic criteria of upholding the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, maintaining pluralism and the unitary state of Indonesia in accordance with the current direction of the party.

"The person could be either a former military member or a Muslim leader," Pramono said.

Megawati has been seeking a prominent national figure who could revive her beleaguered image and boost her chances of winning.

In an earlier meeting, PDI-P had considered a Muslim leader to complement the party's broad support from grassroots members with its nationalist/secularist orientation.

Some party members once hinted that Megawati would maintain the partnership with chairman of the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz, the current Vice President.

With the disclosure of the criteria on Tuesday, the chance remains wide open for PDI-P to also pick Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi or the current Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the party's vice presidential candidate.

Hasyim leads the largest Muslim organization in the country and is known as a moderate Muslim leader who is accepted by all communities in the country. Some other parties have also expressed interest in naming Hasyim as well as Susilo as their presidential or vice presidential candidate.

Susilo, however, has been touted as one of Megawati's strongest challengers in the coming presidential election if he were to run as president, according to several public surveys.

The country will hold its first direct presidential election on July 5, with the probable run-off on Sept. 20. The election for legislators will take place on April 5.

Pramono said that the running mate issue will be further discussed among party leaders.

On the meeting with the legislative candidates, Megawati asserted that unity among the party members could not be compromised.

One of the candidates, Irma Hutabarat, who is also a popular TV presenter, said Megawati asked all party members to work together to win the elections.

"She also emphasized professionalism as the most important requirement for a legislator, in addition to discipline and a commitment to Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution," Irma said.

Irma and actress Marissa Haque were among the celebrities recruited by the party in hopes of gaining more votes.

The meeting on Tuesday took place at the Navy's Balai Samudra Hall in North Jakarta.

To avoid further chiding from the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) over early campaigning, the party refrained from raising their flag or other symbols around the hall's compound.

The party did however, distribute candy wrapped in custom packaging with the party's symbol and colors.