TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Djarot Saiful Hidayat of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said it is too early for the party to name a presidential candidate now. According to Djarot, PDI-P is still considering a variety of factors prior to making any decision.
"It is too premature to decide now," said Djarot on the sidelines of PDI-P's national working meeting in Ancol, North Jakarta, Sunday, Sept. 8. In compliance to the meeting's recommendations, General Chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri is the one to decide who will be nominated as the president and when the candidate will be appointed.
Djarot acknowledged the many proposals from local cadres to nominate Joko Widodo as PDI-P's presidential candidate. However, he said, the final decision rests in the hands of the Megawati.
He also conceded to the fact that the Jakarta Governor has the highest electability compared to other candidates. However, Djarot said that popularity is not the only thing that counts, arguing there is an array of other factors that must be taken into account before making a decision.
WAYAN AGUS PURNOMO