Respected Indonesian sultan to run for president Jakarta - Indonesia's respected sultan of Yogyakarta has said he is ready to contend in the 2009 presidential race, if his candidacy gains wide support, a local media report said Wednesday.
"If people want me to do so why should I reject it," said Sultan Hamengkubuwono X of Yogyakarta in responding to numerous questions on his readiness for next year's presidential race. Former Jakarta governor Sutijoso has also expressed interest in contesting the upcoming presidential race. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has announced its chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, a former president, as its presidential candidate. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to seek re-election, while Vice-President Jusuf Kalla was expected to be nominated by the Golkar Party. Former armed forces commander Wiranto, who is also the chairman of the newly established Hanura Party, is another high-profile politician who has expressed willingness to run if his nomination won support. Sultan Hamengkubuwono has criticised the material approach of the presidential race which he said was not in keeping with the true condition of the nation. "I am surprised to see the 'haves' are being considered as suitable and legitimate candidates while high-profile figures with strong morality had been disregarded," The Jakarta Post quoted the sultan as saying. Hamengkubuwono said Indonesia - home to the world's fourth-most populous nation - needed a president who had strong leadership, to lead the nation out of economic and moral crises. "All people must improve their approach to the nation in facing the impacts of globalisation," he said, adding that such challenges should be faced with a strong degree of nationalism.//dpa www.nationmultimedia.com mediacare http://www.mediacare.biz [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
