JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Yusril Ihza Mahendra, patron leader of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and former Minister of Law, insists to run for president in 2014 although the supports of voters are minor.
Yusril, who is also former Minister of State Secretary, reportedly will declare his presidential nomination on December 8, 2013, in Surabaya, East Java.
Surprisingly, Yusril confessed to journalists that he has recently made an intensive communication with Puan Maharani, daughter of former President Megawati Soekarnoputri and one of key leaders of PDI-P, to become his running mate.
Yusril’s presidential nomination was decided in the meeting of the PBB’s Highest Council on Septmber 24, 2013, but announced publicly by the Council on Wednesday (Dec 4).
Unfortunately, Yusril’s chance might be very slim considering a pitiful approval rating from his party as depicted in various surveys.
Latest, a survey from the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) placed PBB in the bottom from twelve eligible political parties competing in 2014 elections.
According to CSIS’ survey, PBB’s approval rating is only 0.5%, far away from 3.5% parliamentary threshold, a minimum required votes for any political party to take seats at the House of Representatives (DPR).
PBB’s current approval rating is also far away from the presidential threshold of minimum 20% of parliamentary seats or 25% of national votes.
Furthermore, Yusril’s track record is not clean enough from graft allegation. He was once named a suspect in the graft case related to the so-called sisminbakum (an online registration system) under the Ministry of State Secretary that he once led. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)