Hans David Tampubolon, Denpasar – Megawati Soekarnoputri looks certain to lead the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) for another five years, but the party will look for another figure to contest the 2014 presidential election.

[Megawati] will not run for the presidency. She has stated this several times," senior PDI-P figure Panda Nababan said on the sidelines of the party's national congress at Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel in Denpasar, Bali, on Tuesday.

Panda said concern over the next generation of the party's leaders was behind the party's plan to groom alternative presidential candidates, not concerns about Megawati's age and her poor showing in the last two presidential races.

The party, he added, would introduce changes to its internal regulations that would focus mainly on the party's leadership growth through systematic political education.

"We will open special schools for our members. The schools will be located in Jakarta and in every provincial branch," he said. Panda said the party would seek a presidential candidate from the dynasty of founding president Sukarno, who is Megawati's father.

"However, being a Sukarno does not guarantee that person will be the PDI-P's nominee for president. The candidate will have to work hard by frequently acknowledging our grassroots constituents," he said.

The PDI-P has nominated Megawati three times for the presidential election. She lost her first race to Nahdlatul Ulama leader Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid in 1999 despite her party winning the most seats in the House of Representatives. Megawati became vice president instead.

Megawati became president in 2001 after Gus Dur was impeached for incompetence.

As the incumbent, Megawati lost to her former chief security minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in the country's first ever direct presidential elections in 2004. The two squared off for the second time last year, with Megawati failing to get enough votes in the first round to advance to the runoff.

PDI-P official Budiman Sudjatmiko said it was premature to start discussing the party's candidate for the 2014 presidential election.

"Grooming the next leader is the key issue in this congress, but the discussion does not concern our future presidential candidate. Instead, the talks focus on the need to allow young figures to lead the party either at regional or central levels," he said.

Another party official, Cepi Budi Mulyawan, said grooming the next leader would ensure the party's future success. "Megawati wants the PDI-P to have a better showing in the next elections," Cepi said. "Therefore, the party needs progressive young people to make her vision come true."

University of Indonesia political communication expert Effendi Gazali said the party's crop of young talent would contribute to the country's efforts to groom future national leaders.

Megawati earlier hinted at kickstarting growth within the PDI-P leadership, saying the congress might create a deputy chairperson post, which many speculate would go to one of her children.

"The discourse on the new post is legitimate but the congress will decide whether we need the post," she said.