Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso announced here Monday he was available for political parties to nominate him for the 2009 presidential election.
He told a gathering of hundreds of people attending his "political declaration" at the Four Seasons Hotel in South Jakarta that after 10 years as Jakarta's governor, he was ready to lead the country.
"I dare to name myself a presidential candidate because, first, I've received support from a number of political parties and leading figures, especially since a year ago. And, second, because I'm called on to continue serving the country," said Sutiyoso.
He said among groups that had approached him were several small, older political parties and some new parties. However, he refused to provide any names. Sutiyoso also hinted he had the support of the military for his presidential bid.
Try Sutrisno, a vice president under Soeharto and the current chairman of the Armed Forces Veterans Association, attended Monday's event. Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, the heads of a number of political parties and several Muslim clerics also attended the event.
Sutiyoso said that if elected one of his main priorities would be implementing regional autonomy "according to existing regulations". He also expressed his belief that despite having spent the last 10 years running Jakarta, he had name recognition and popularity around the country.
"Thanks to the press, people in other regions know me quite well because of abundant news about me in a lot of mass media," he said.
Sutiyoso will end his second term as Jakarta governor this Sunday, after having served since 1997. Before his stint as governor, Sutiyoso spent 25 years in the Army's Special Forces, or Kopassus, before several years as the Jakarta Military commander, when he was the immediate supervisor of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Prior to Monday's declaration, Sutiyoso met Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairwoman and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri to seek her approval and ask her to attend the announcement.
Megawati is the party's presidential candidate for the 2009 election. The party's secretary-general, Pramono Anung, said Megawati gave her approval but could not attend the declaration.