Kalla Says 'Will not Reject' Presidential Candidate Nomination by Nasdem

Jakarta (Antara) - Former Vice President Jusuf Kalla has indicated that he will not oppose being nominated as a presidential candidate by the Nasdem Party, sparking speculation that he could become the party's official candidate for the presidential election next year. "To me, a nomination would be an honor that I would be thankful for," he said in a speech to thousands of Nasdem party members at a national working meeting here on Monday. Jusuf Kalla lost the last presidential election to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The former general chairman of the Golkar Party was invited as a speaker to the first Nasdem national working meeting held under the theme of "Restoring Statehood: National Leadership to Settle National Problems." "When I say thank you, it means that I will not reject a nomination," he added. He noted that every political party will have to wait for the results of the legislative elections in April before taking a final decision on their presidential candidate. "A nomination will only be made after the legislative elections. That is how the process will proceed formally. It does not bother us that other parties have already chosen their candidates. What is important to us is the national interest," he added. When asked about his absence at a recent Golkar party leadership meeting, Kalla said that he did not attend because he had a prior engagement with the PMI, the Indonesian Red Cross, on that day. On the subject of attending Nasdem's working meeting on Monday, Kalla pointed out that he had been invited to attend as a speaker. "I was invited as a speaker, so I had to attend. I have always felt it is an honor to attend any Nasdem function. Even during the launch of Nasdem, I was a speaker," he added. (*)