Bandung – The central board of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said that the party would nominate some popular figures as candidates for the 2014 presidential poll, including controversial Communications and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring.

Deputy chairman of the party Yudi Widiana Adia said that the party leadership was now weighing up nominating PKS politicians including former party chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid, party secretary-general Anis Matta, current party chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq and Tifatul.

Yudi said that the party popular figures were expected to be able to generate more votes for the party, which was expected to get 0.8 percent less than what it garnered in the 2009 general election, which was 7.8 percent of the popular vote.

"Every regional party branch is free to nominate their candidates and we will look for candidates with grass roots support including Tifatul. If people from Medan want him to run, we have to include him," Yudi said, referring to the North Sumatra capital city where Tifatul was expected to get more votes.

PKS is expected to come up with a shortlist of candidates by the end of 2012 and would name its presidential candidates in the months leading up to the 2014 poll.