It’s not too soon, apparently – some of the likely candidates for the 2009 presidential election.

July 8th 2009 presidential election results HERE.

There has been much discussion in the media of late regarding the likely contestants for the 2009 presidential election, almost a full three years away.

Old Faces.

Never-say-die former president Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) says he is ready to compete in the next election.

I’m ready, why not?
Saya siap maju, kenapa tidak?

He claims that running in the election would not be of his own desire but would only occur if his five advisers (sesepuh) urged him to. He would not name the five people however.

The head of the Central Java branch of the PKB, Ali Anshori, said his party was ready to support Gus Dur in 2009.

It also appears that the PDI-P is still supporting Megawati Soekarnoputri for 2009.

Effendy Ghozali of University Indonesia said that Gus Dur, and also another former president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, would be very unlikely to win in 2009, because of their poor track record when previously in office. Of a former presidential candidate, Amien Rais, Effendy said that his chances were better because the state of the country was still less than ideal, and Amien played on discontent.

He went on to say that the fact that old names like Gus Dur, Megawati, and Amien Rais were being mentioned for 2009 was proof that the major parties had failed to develop new talent, or cadres. Golkar, followed by the PKS, had been most successful in nurturing figures who could be presidential material, he said. Megawati’s PDI-P was still stuck in a cult of personality system, he said.