Megawati likely to name Hamzah Haz as running mate
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
A senior party official at the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) dropped a hint on Sunday that party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri would likely team up with Hamzah Haz, the leader of the United Development Party (PPP), in the upcoming presidential election.
PDI-P executive Roy B.B. Janis said that party officials had approached vice president Hamzah, who had spoken of his readiness to strengthen ties again with his boss, Megawati.
"Hamzah has been chosen from among other vice presidential nominees because he is the leader of a large political party that has a large number of supporters," Roy was quoted as saying by Antara news agency.
According to the provisional vote count by the General Elections Commission (KPU), the PPP is fourth after the Golkar Party, the PDI-P and the National Awakening Party (PKB).
According to Roy, another figure eyed by Megawati as a potential running mate was Agum Gumelar, a former Army general and currently the minister of communications.
Roy's statement came only a day after another PDI-P official, Pramono Anung Wibowo, announced that party officials had successfully approached two "very well-known" figures with an offer to team up with Megawati in the forthcoming presidential and vice presidential election.
"The two figures have been contacted and they expressed acceptance of the offer," PDI-P Deputy Secretary-General Pramono said after a party leadership meeting.
He declined to disclose the names of the figures. "But I can assure you the two figures are very well-known to the people, are religious and are of good character," he said.
He said that the party would announce the name of its vice presidential candidate before the start of the period for registration of presidential and vice presidential candidates with the KPU, due to start on May 1 and end on May 7.
PDI-P had previously eyed Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, a "clean" figure with close links to eastern Indonesia.
However Megawati's hopes of teaming up with Kalla were dashed after a rising star in the presidential race from the Democratic Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, announced on Saturday that he would pair up with Kalla for the upcoming presidential and vice presidential election.
While Susilo and Megawati were close to determining their choice of running mates, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais was apparently still confused as to who would be his most suitable running mate.
As the deadline to submit the names of presidential and vice presidential candidates to the KPU is drawing near, Amien held a gathering on Sunday with intellectuals and students of various universities in Yogyakarta. The event was aimed at seeking input on whom was considered to be Amien's best running mate in the presidential election.
Asked about who that would be, Amien said only that he had the names of three candidates in his pocket and would be ready to name one as his vice presidential running mate within two days.