DEMOCRAT PARTY HOPING STILL ABLE TO COALESCE WITH GOLKAR

Jakarta, Feb 22 (ANTARA) - A Democrat Party executive, Anas Urbaningrum, said here on Sunday that the party hoped it could still coalesce with Golkar Party for the presidential election later this year.

"Golkar's experience will be an important pillar for a strong, permanent and effective coalition," he said.
He made the statement to ANTARA in response to Golkar Party general chairman Jusuf Kalla's decision to finally express his readiness to become a presidential candidate.
Anas said that Golkar Party was really a party with a lot of political and state administrative experiences.
What is clear is, he said, that basically the Democrat Party remained hopeful and open to coalesce with Golkar.
Meanwhile a Golkar Party official, Zainal Bintang, said many quarters welcomed Kalla's readiness to become Golkar Party's presidential candidate.
"One of the reactions came from the president of the Prosperous Justice Party, Tifatul Sembiring, who welcomed Kalla's candidacy," he said.
Zainal Bintang said Golkar remained open to a coalition with any party.