PKB Still Considering Wether to Pick Mahfud or Rhoma

Kediri, E Java (Antara) - The Nation's Awakening Party (PKB) is still considering whether to pick former constitutional court chairman Mahfud MD or self-styled Dangdut King Rhoma Irama as its presidential candidate in the upcoming election. "The party's most favorite presidential candidates are Mahfud and Rhoma. The people of East Java want Mahfud," PKB Executive Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar said on the sidelines of the party's campaign at the meeting hall of the Lirboyo Islamic boarding school here on Sunday. He said the PKB has yet to decide who is its presidential candidate while waiting for the result of the legislative election scheduled for April 9, 2014. If the PKB gains 20 percent of the votes cast in the legislative election, the party may nominate its own presidential candidate. But if its vote tally is less than 20 percent, it may coalesce with other political parties in the face of the presidential election, he said. The PKB will conduct a survey until the end of April to see its position and the electability of its presidential candidate, he said. The PKB claims it will gain 11.6 percent of votes in the legislative election based on the result of its survey. By gaining 11.6 percent of the votes, the PKB looks set to finish third in the legislative election. (*)