Democrat Party Still Seeking Best Figure For President

Jakarta, Dec 5 (ANTARA) - The ruling Democrat Party is still looking for the best figure to be nominated as the party`s presidential candidate for the 2014 election, advisory board member Syarif Hasan said. And the person will not always be the party`s general chairman, he said at the parliament building here on Wednesday. He explained "the Democrat Party in the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections also did not name its general chairmen as candidates." Hasan who is also minister of cooperatives and small and medium businesses said the best figure would be the one who is fit to be a leader, popular and has a high electability rate and he hoped the figure would come from within the party. Asked about the possibility of Anas Urbaningrum, the present party general chairman, Hasan said based on the 2004 and 2009 experience the party never named its general chairmen as candidates. "In the 2004 election the Democrat Party general chairman, Subur Budisantoso, did not become a presidential candidate and neither did Hadi Utomo, the party`s general chairman, in the 2009 election. The party at the time named Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (the current president) who was popular among the people," he said. He said that the party`s rules also do not state that the general chairman would automatically become a presidential candidate. "So, the party`s stance would be determined by the people`s will. Until now no exact figure has been found. The Democrat Party is still looking for the person," he said. Syarif said however that he himself preferred a person from within the party and it was not impossible that person would be Kristiani Herawati or Ani Yudhoyono, the wife of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "Well, let us just wait and see," he added.