Seven to run for PSSI chief

Seven to run for PSSI chief

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 premier league clubs and provincial and
regental soccer associations will cast their votes during the
congress.

The electoral committee requires that a potential candidate
must obtain letters of support from at least 30 percent, or 108,
of the soccer clubs and associations to qualify for the election;
all supporting letters must be signed by the chiefs and
secretaries of the 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.