Vice presidential candidates wanted

Vice presidential candidates wanted

Now we know that at least five presidential candidates will participate in the presidential election on July 5. They are Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the Democratic Party, Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Wiranto of Golkar.

However, out of the five candidates only Susilo has declared his running mate: Jusuf Kalla. The other presidential aspirants are still busy seeking their running mates.

It is clear that finding a vice president is the most difficult thing in the country as every politician wants to become the president. Amien Rais once said that he wanted a nationalist to run with him, and a real nationalist, according to Amien, is a military man. But he has yet to find the right military man to serve as his running mate.

Meanwhile, the PDI-P finds itself in a major dilemma following Megawati's plan to run with Hamzah Haz, her current vice president and leader of the United Development Party (PPP). The PPP responded to Megawati's plan with a request that Hamzah be involved in deciding the line-up of the (new) cabinet.

As for the PKB camp, a vice presidential candidate has yet to emerge as Gus Dur's candidacy could be thwarted by the health requirements set by the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Indonesian Doctors Association. Meanwhile, Golkar is waiting for an official statement from its headquarters on its vice presidential candidate.

It is obvious that political coalitions among the parties will be the best way of securing vice presidential candidates. Coalitions in a multiparty system like ours are a must. But we need political coalitions that benefit the nation, because a coalition -- by definition -- is supposed to accommodate plurality as part of democratic life.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta