Susilo-Jusuf Kalla pairing registers with KPU

M. Taufiqurrahman and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta

A coalition of three political parties on Monday registered Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla as presidential and vice presidential candidates in the July 5 election, the first to register with the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Susilo and Kalla, along with officials from Susilo's Democratic Party, the Muslim-based Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), met KPU members to register under tight security at the commission building.

Presidential registrations run from May 6 until May 12.

Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid of the National Awakening Party (PKB) will reportedly register his candidacy on Tuesday along with his vice presidential candidate, Marwah Daud Ibrahim of the Golkar Party.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) candidate President Megawati Soekarnoputri and running mate Hasyim Muzadi are set to register their candidacies on Wednesday.

KPU member Anas Urbaningrum, who registered the candidates' credentials, said the presence of Susilo and Kalla at the event showed they were serious and well-prepared for the election.

Anas said the candidates had submitted all of the necessary documents apart from a list of campaign team members. "After the verification is made public, we give the candidates two days to complete the documents," Anas said.

After the registration, Susilo and Kalla were optimistic they would come out on top in the July 5 poll. "We run with a single objective, winning the presidential election," Susilo said.

He said he would strive to bring about peace, justice, democracy and prosperity.

Only parties or coalitions with 3 percent of seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) or 5 percent of valid votes in the legislative election may field candidates.

The Democratic Party won 7.54 percent of the votes in the legislative election, while the PBB and PKPI garnered 2.57 percent and 1.13 percent of the votes respectively.

Earlier in the day, Susilo and Kalla's parties publicly announced their nominations in a ceremony.

At the ceremony, PBB leader Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the three-party coalition would form the core of the presidential campaign.

The parties had already started talks about setting up the next government, he said.

Yusril, who is currently the Justice and Human Rights Minister in the Megawati administration, declined to say what positions his party members would take in a new cabinet should the Susilo- Kalla pairing win the election.

Meanwhile, Susilo, who emphasized his experience in the Indonesian Military (TNI) and in government, highlighted the importance of national unity, internal security and the danger of regional conflicts.

The TNI and the police, which were the country's last hope for a better future, had to be withdrawn from politics and developed into a neutral and professional institutions, he said.

Kalla, meanwhile, emphasized his non-Javanese background and his knack for business.

Aside from the parties' top brass, hundreds of prominent figures attended the ceremony, including renowned preacher Abdullah Gymnastiar, former Supreme Advisory Council chairman AA Baramuli, former sports and youth affairs minister Hayono Isman, former Indonesia ambassador to Russia Rachmat Witoelar as well as former Army's Reserve Command Unit (Kostrad) Chief Lt. Gen. (ret) Kemal Idris.