PKB to Name its Presidential Candidate after Legislative Election

Jakarta (Antara) - Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar said on Thursday the party will name its presidential candidate after the legislative election next year. "The final decision (on the party's presidential candidate) will be taken after the legislative election," he said in the Presidential Palace compounds in Jakarta. The party is still in the process of selecting names of presidential candidates it will nominate for the 2014 presidency. But the nomination will once again consider the results of legislative election, he said. Likewise the party will also consider coalescing with other parties after the legislative election, he said. Not only PKB but also some other political parties are still waiting for the results of the 2014 legislative election to name their presidential candidates, he said. Noted dangdut singer Rhoma Irama and former chief of the constitutional court Mahfud MD have been widely tipped to become the party's presidential candidate. PKB secretary-general Helmy Faisal Zaini said last year Muhaimin had undertaken talks with Rhoma over the possible nomination of the self-styled king of dangdut, who had previously announced his ambition to run for the 2014 presidential election. (*)