Mahfud Optimistic to Win PKB Nomination

Pasuruan, East Java (Antara) - Former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD said he was optimistic he would be nominated as a presidential candidate by the National Awakening Party (PKB), here on Monday. "I am optimistic and the other candidates are also optimistic about winning PKB's nomination," he said, after visiting the Sidogiri Islamic boarding school in Pasuruan, East Java. He said he had continued communicating with different people, especially community members, in his effort to win many votes. Regarding his strategy, Mahfud said he would just go with the flow, but he would keep communicating with different people. About other political parties' interest to nominate him as their candidate, he said the possibilities remain open. "Anything is possible, including approaches from other parties," he noted. About his meeting with the chief of the Sidogiri boarding school, Cleric Nawawi, he said he only came to honor his invitation. "I was invited to talk about the current political conditions and development and its future prospects," he said. He added that he had met the cleric behind closed doors for about 30 minutes. "We have talked about the current political conditions and what the political options would be after April 9, including results of the elections and their legal implications as well as the future president," he said. (*)