Jakarta – Former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso said Sunday that he had approached several political parties in line with his plans to contest the 2009 presidential election.

The parties included the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB). "The reason is because these parties need to set up a coalition to enable them to run in the presidential election," Sutiyoso said at an Idul Fitri gathering at the residence of PAN chairman Soetrisno Bachir. "Big parties might nominate their own chairman to run for presidency."

Tempointeraktif newsportal reported that Sutiyoso said he had also made a series of visits during the Idul Fitri celebrations to seek support ahead of the election.

"I visited former presidents Soeharto, Megawati Soekarnoputri, BJ Habibie and Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid and president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," he said.