UpdateJoko Widodo picks former vice-president Jusuf Kalla as presidential running mate
Favourite opts for former vice-president as running mate in July election
Indonesian presidential favourite Joko Widodo chose former vice-president Jusuf Kalla as his running mate yesterday, making them a formidable ticket in July's elections.
Opinion polls point to a Widodo-Kalla partnership coming out comfortably on top in elections scheduled for July 9. The pair are supported by a coalition of political parties, raising the prospect of stable and efficient government that might be able to push through economic reforms and tackle corruption.
God willing ... we will be able to bring change to our beloved country
"We have confidence, God willing, we will be able to bring change to our beloved country," said Widodo, known across the country as "Jokowi", as he stood next to Kalla while making the announcement at a historic building in downtown Jakarta.
Kalla, 72, was vice-president under former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during his first term of 1999-2004, when he gained a reputation as a leader who can cut through bureaucracy and get things done. A native of Sulawesi province and a successful businessmen, Kalla is currently chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross.
He is a former chairman of Golkar, the country's second-largest political party, and up until yesterday was thought to still have significant influence in the group.
However, in a twist, a senior Golkar official said the party would instead support former general Prabowo Subianto in the July election. Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie also said last week he would co-operate with Widodo's coalition.