Parties told to seek new figures

Parties told to seek new figures

Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Senior legislators have joined calls for political parties to
field new figures as presidential candidates in the up-coming
general election in order to cope with the nation's prolonged
leadership crisis.

"Political parties would be astute and have better prospects
if they heeded public aspirations by not closing off chances for
new figures with high moral authority as their presidential
candidates," Faisal Baasir, a senior lawmaker from the United
Development Party (PPP), told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

"But so far I don't see any figure eligible to take over the
national leadership in the future," he added.

Many believe that the next president would come from within
the circle of the current political elite as individual
candidates are banned under the current system from contesting in
the first-ever direct presidential elections in 2004.

Recent surveys showed that most Indonesians were "longing for"
new national leaders from outside the major parties, claiming the
current political elite were unfit to retain power after the 2004
election.

Marwah Daud Ibrahim, a deputy chairperson of the Golkar Party
-- the second largest faction in the House of Representatives,
shared a similar view, saying the current power holders should
not retain their positions after the 2004 election.

She supported the findings of two recent surveys by non-
governmental organizations that most Indonesians could not
identify a figure suitable to become the next president.

The surveys -- one conducted by the Institute for Social and
Economic Research, Education and Information (LP3ES), and the
other by the Center for Political Studies (CPS) -- also indicated
a similar conclusion that President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Vice
President Hamzah Haz, People's Consultative Assembly Chairman
Amien Rais, and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
were unfit to retain power.

"The political parties should be responsive to the needs and
wishes of the public. They have to seek a new national leader
qualified to run the country in 2004," Marwah said, commenting on
the surveys.

Mochtar Buchori, a legislator of Megawati's Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the largest
faction in the House, concurred.

"We need a future leader from outside the political elite, who
can win the people's trust, has a good vision and is tested,"
said Mochtar, one of the staunchest critics of Megawati.

However, fellow legislator, deputy PDI Perjuangan secretary-
general Pramono Anung Wibowo, said his party had decided to
renominate President Megawati for the 2004-2009 term of office
despite widespread criticism of her competence.

Under the amended 1945 Constitution, only political parties
are authorized to nominate presidential candidates. Any
individual can contest the direct presidential election if they
are nominated by a party.

The election bill, currently being deliberated at the House,
also banned independent and non-partisan candidates from vying
for the presidential post.

Prominent Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid, Yogyakarta
Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, and Muhammadiyah chairman
Ahmad Syafii Maarif have been touted by many as presidential
hopefuls in 2004.