Seven candidates running for PSSI chairmanship
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Seven candidates are set to run for the chairmanship of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), after another six followed Jacob Nuwa Wea in registering their candidacy.
Jacob, the Minister of Manpower, submitted his registration form on Monday at the PSSI office inside the Bung Karno sports compound, followed on Tuesday by Sumaryoto, Nurdin Halid, E.E. Mangindaan, Habil Marati, Tahir Mahmud and Sarman Panggabean.
The new chairman of PSSI, who will succeed incumbent Agum Gumelar, the Minister of Transportation, will be elected during a three-day congress at Hotel Indonesia from Oct. 19 to 21.
As many as 359 votes from premier league clubs and provincial and regental soccer associations, will be cast during the congress.
The electoral committee requires that a candidate must obtain an initial support of at least 30 percent, or 108, of the votes to be eligible for the running, and their supporting letter for the candidacy must be signed by the chiefs and secretaries of the soccer clubs and associations.
Jacob handed in his registration form, declaring that it included 186 written letters of support.
At a media conference, Jacob called on PSSI to stick to its rules and urged the electoral committee to cancel any candidate who failed to fulfill the minimum requisite votes.
On Tuesday, Nurdin Halid, a businessman from South Sulawesi, claimed to have obtained 179 votes while Sumaryoto, the PSSI Central Java chief, boasted 287 votes -- although he only presented 108 to the committee.
"We gave only 108, because that is the amount I need to qualify for the candidacy. In the event that any defective letters are found, I have prepared replacements," he said.
Nurdin and Sumaryoto agreed with Jacob that candidates failing to gather the minimum votes should be disqualified.
Their comments appeared to irritate E.E. Mangindaan and Habil Marati, both of whom failed to win the requisite support.
"I could get only 33 votes. It's difficult to obtain written support today. All closed their doors (to me), including those in East Java," said Mangindaan.
Mangindaan, former governor of North Sulawesi, previously had close personal ties with East Java, having been successful in guiding local club Persebaya to a premier league championship.
"I had not expected it to be as difficult as it was. I thought people there already knew me, but they are already fully booked," he said.
Habil, treasurer of the United Development Party (PPP), had only gotten 43 votes, but he said he was optimistic that he could gain 69 by the start of the congress.
Sarman Panggabean, a former national player in the 1970s, and Tahir Mahmud, former manager of South Sulawesi-based PSM Makassar, handed in their registration forms without fanfare, avoiding the media at the PSSI office, reported Antara.