Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The so-called "People's Convention" initiated by some of the country's top activists and religious figures has named seven presidential candidates, spanning from a prominent former minister to an obscure academic.
Salahuddin "Gus Solah" Wahid, head of the convention's committee, said the seven people had gone through a tight selection processes, with criteria such as leadership skill and experience, integrity, commitment and the promotion of human rights.
"The next stage is open debates and then they will be surveyed through a public poll organized by a reputable pollster, expectably around February [next year]," Gus Solah told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The seven presidential hopefuls are former Justice and Human Rights Minister and Crescent Star Party (PBB) chief adviser Yusril Ihza Mahendra; outspoken government critic and former finance minister Rizal Ramli; Netherlands-based Islamic law professor Sofjan Siregar; Japan-based writer and Pusjuki (Center of Japanese Studies for Indonesia's Improvement) president Anni Iwasaki; businessman Ricky Sutanto; East Kutai Regent, from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, Isran Noor; and former Islamic activist Tony Ardi.
"We want to promote public figures who are capable of leading this nation but have not been exposed, so the public will have alternative options," Gus Solah said.
He said the overseas-based candidates were selected because they had exceptional experiences and skills. "For instance, they are knowledge about the system in the Netherlands and Japan and could apply the best aspects of it to Indonesia," he said.
Gus Solah, who is also the brother of late former president Abdurrahamn "Gus Dur" Wahid, is a prominent Islamic figure. In 2004, he was nominated by the Golkar Party as a vice presidential candidate with running mate former Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. (ret.) Wiranto.
The public debates will be held from December to January next year, in the six major cities of (in chronological order) Medan in North Sumatra; Balikpapan, East Kalimantan; Surabaya, East Java; Makassar, South Sulawesi; Bandung, West Java; and Jakarta.
Gus Solah acknowledged the convention was not affiliated to any political parties and laws only allow political parties to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates.
"We will hold talks with political parties to negotiate the winner of this convention to be nominated by the parties," he said, adding that they would prioritize parties that had not yet named their candidates.
Beside Gus Solah, other members of the committee included former chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches Natan Setiabudi, noted philosopher and Catholic priest Franz-Magnis Suseno, senior journalist Aristides Katoppo, Gadjah Mada University political expert Ichlasul Amal and noted lawyer and anti-corruption activist Adnan Buyung Nasution.
Gus Solah refused to disclose the amount of money needed to finance the convention or its sources. "The funds were donated by people with no tied agreements," he said.
Some politicians, however, were skeptical of the convention. United Development Party (PPP) chairman, who is also Religious Affairs Minister, Suryadharma Ali, for example, called the convention "useless".
"I just feel pity for them. They don't have any political vehicles. They are just wasting energy, if not merely looking for sensation," he said at the State Palace, recently.
An Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) executive, Puan Maharani, said it would not be easy for the convention to have its winner nominated by a political party. "As an idea, it is good. But political parties, like the PDI-P, have their own mechanism," she said.