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.