Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The Democratic Party is considering recruiting two prominent human rights activists, Usman Hamid and Rachland Nashidik, to sit on its national leadership board for the 2010-2015 period.

Achmad Mubarok, who headed party chairman Anas Urbaningrum's successful campaign team, said on Tuesday that it was highly possible the activists would become members of the party's leadership structure.

"We do have plans to recruit some human rights activists," Achmad said, adding that the new leadership board would be announced soon.

Usman declined to comment when asked about the issue. However, his deputy at the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Haris Azhar, said that a top Democrat had contacted Usman, offering him a position with the party.

"But Usman has yet to confirm whether he will accept or reject the offer," Haris said.

Rachland, former executive director of human rights watchdog Imparsial and former aide to slain prominent human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, also declined to comment. "I will only comment when the party officially announces its new leadership board," he said.

Rachland earlier said he had been removed from Imparsial's executive board. He was also seen several times at the office of political consultancy Fox Indonesia, which advised Andi Mallarangeng in his ultimately failed bid to take on Anas for the Democrat chairmanship.

Meanwhile, House of Representative Speaker Marzuki Alie said he would be made deputy chairman of the party's advisory board, serving directly beneath President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the board chairman.

"Maybe it's because of my seniority in the party," he said. He said some former members of his campaign team, including Max Sopacua and Achsanul Qosasih, would also be involved in the leadership of the party.

Marzuki defended a plan to include prominent entrepreneurs in the party's leadership, saying it was normal for members of the business community to provide political assistance to parties. "I hope no one sees this as a big problem," he said.