Nurcholish seeks presidential ticket from Golkar Party

Nurcholish seeks presidential ticket from Golkar Party

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid expressed on Monday his
readiness to participate in the upcoming Golkar Party convention,
an arena to select the party's candidate for next year's
presidential election.

Nurcholish, popularly known as Cak Nur, said his readiness to
take part in the convention was due to the fact that the party
had agreed to accept his proposed 10-point platform.

"My decision is a consequence of Golkar's acceptance of the
platform I offered to Golkar leaders and supporters a few moments
ago," he said on Monday.

"Besides, I do not want to lose a ticket to participate in the
convention."

Nurcholish also praised the preliminary convention to be held
by Golkar, slated for Thursday. The grand convention will be held
early next year.

"Through the convention, recruitment of leaders particularly
those to be nominated for next year's general elections, is a
bottom-up process. It is a universal principle of democracy," he
said.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said as Nurcholish had
expressed his readiness to participate in Golkar's convention, he
could not be nominated as a presidential candidate by other
parties.

"If Golkar nominates Cak Nur, of course other parties cannot
nominate him. If he participates in our convention, he must stick
to Golkar. That is the rule of our convention," Akbar said as
quoted by Antara.

Akbar, also Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR),
hinted that Nurcholish's participation in the party's convention
had received support from several Golkar provincial chapters
(DPDs).

In the convention, Nurcholish will compete with other
presidential candidates including incumbent Coordinating Minister
for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, Yogyakarta governor Sri Sultan
Hamengkubuwono X, and media magnate Surya Paloh.

Golkar will present its presidential candidates in the party's
national meeting in Makassar, South Sulawesi, early next month.
The candidates will deliver their vision and agenda for the
country's future development.

In February next year, Golkar plans to hold a national
convention to choose its presidential candidate.

Early this year, Nurcholish announced his intention to run for
the presidency in 2004, offering a platform which is aimed at
rebuilding the nation through the principles of democracy.

Good governance, consistent law enforcement, and national
reconciliation, were Nurcholish's top three priorities.

He also proposed economic reform through production activities
that involve as many poor people as possible.

Civilians, particularly the press and the academic community,
would be entitled to freedom, while the clear-cut division of
labor between the executive, legislature and judicial powers must
be complied with, he said.

He also noted that national defense and security should be
developed within the framework of democracy.

He maintained that national unity could be preserved through a
cultural approach and the recognition of pluralism and regional
autonomy, instead of the use of military force.

The last three main goals of his platform are to expand the
coverage of national education and raise its quality, to realize
social justice and to take an initiative in building world peace.

Besides Golkar Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB) is
also considering nominating Nurcholish as its presidential
candidate.