Lawmaker Suggest Islamic convention for presidential Candidate

Jakarta (Antara) - A lawmaker from the Islamic United Development Party (PPP) Ahmad Yani calls for an Islamic Convention to select an Islamic presidential candidate to contest the forthcoming presidential elections. "It is time for Indonesian Muslims to organize an Islamic Convention to select candidate from among Islamic leaders," Yani said at the state run Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic University. He called on all Islamic elements in Indonesia, including political parties to take part in the coming general elections and community organization to look for an Islamic leader to lead the nation. He said he already talked to a number of political parties and Islamic organizations about the idea of jointly looking for an Islamic candidate for president. "All components are expected to be involved in a discussion, at least we start with brainstorming," he said. He said as a PPP cadres he certainly wants to propose the party general chairman Suryadharma Ali as one of potential candidates. (*)