Running mates take to runoff stage
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Presidential candidates Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri took a break from electoral activities on Saturday, allowing their running mates to maintain the momentum.
Hasyim Muzadi represented Megawati at an internal function in Jakarta, while front-runner Susilo's running mate Jusuf Kalla visited traveled to Bandung and met with the leader of the Golkar Party's West Java chapter.
In the absence of Megawati, who is observing a minor haj to Mecca, Hasyim inaugurated the Mega-Hasyim Center on Jl. Patra Jasa, South Jakarta.
In a media conference following the ceremony, Hasyim, the non- active chairman of leading Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, acknowledged that the campaign team was approaching a number of figures to discuss their prospective Cabinet.
"It's normal. We are still in the process of approaching people, and have not made any decisions," said Hasyim.
Separately, Taufik Kiemas, husband to Megawati and an influential member in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, has said Megawati's next Cabinet should be filled by the likes of economist Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Muslim academic Azyumardi Azra.
Megawati has met with a host of political leaders, including Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, National Awakening Party (PKB) co-founder Abdurrahman Wahid and United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz.
She is also set to visit National Awakening Party (PAN) leader Amien Rais as part of her plan to build a coalition ahead of the runoff.
Hasyim said a coalition of major parties was necessary for an effective government.
"The next government will be able to implement its programs effectively in cooperation with the political elite in the House of Representatives," he said.
Meanwhile, Susilo and Kalla, who won the first round in July, have recently increased their efforts in lobbying political leaders.
Kalla met on Saturday with Golkar West Java leader Nurochman at his residence on Jl. Sentrasari, Bandung.
"It was a meeting between friends. We were once members of the People's Consultative Assembly," Kalla told reporters after breakfasting with Nurochman.
Nurochman denied the meeting was part of a strategy for the pair to woo Golkar support. Kalla is also a Golkar executive.
The meeting followed a Friday-evening trip to the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, where Susilo and Kalla met with the local Chinese community and promised to fight against discrimination if elected.
Separately, Amien Rais said his party remained undecided about which pair to support in the runoff.
He said PAN had considered several options, including abstention, supporting a single candidate or letting their members vote according to their conscience.
"We are still discussing the options. I'm not going to take an authoritarian approach, and will let the party make a decision," Amien said in Bandung, while confirming that he would meet Megawati after her return from Mecca.