Mega's running mate: Military or Muslim leader

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.