Indonesian Presidential Election Race Begins

The race is on for 3 pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates for Indonesias Presidential Election 2009 in July. Let's go to our Jakarta correspondents for the details.
The first pair of candidates to arrive at Indonesia election commission were Jusuf Kalla from the Golkar Party, and his vice presidential candidate Wiranto from the People Conscience Party (Hanura).

Shortly afterward, Indonesia Democratic PartyStruggle (PDI-P) presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri arrived with Prabowo Subianto, her vice presidential candidate from the Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

The candidates were welcomed by hundreds of shouting supporters.

Megawati and Prabowo supporters waved banners and a Reog Ponorogo performance entertained the crowd.

Security personnel had their work cut out for them as hundreds of supporters tried to shake hands with Megawati and Prabowo as they exited the Election Commission.

Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was the last to arrive with his vice presidential candidate Boediono.

Yudhoyono confirmed Boediono as his running mate on May 15 in Bandung.

Yudhoyonos former running mate, Jusuf Kalla, decided to nominate himself and join the presidential race with Wiranto.

Yudhoyonos selection of Boediono as his running mate was not well received by many Islamic party members who feel that Boediono is not capable of representing Islamic interests in Indonesia.

One Islamic group created an uproar of protest and threatened to leave the Prosperous Justice Party.

Prosperous Justice Party President Tifatul Sembiring came to Yudhoyonos defense.

[Tifatul Sembiring, President, Prosperous Justice Party]:
Yesterday at 5 p.m, Yudhoyono explained the situation for half an hour, on why he choose Boediono. He said that to face todays economic global situation and the current financial crisis, he needs to be accompanied by an Economics expertand that is Boediono.

Private polls show that Yudhoyono-Boediono are favored to win the race with 70 percent of the vote.

NTD, Jakarta, Indonesia.

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• Jusuf Kalla
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