Jakarta (Antara Babel) - Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has asked former Constitutional Court chairman Mahfud MD to be the chairman of his presidential election's success team.
"Our team chairman for national campaign is Mahfud MD," Prabowo said after registering at the General Elections Commission (KPU) here on Tuesday.
Mahfud was named as the success team chairman because he is a prominent figure of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and is believed to have a wide network that would have an impact on public support.
"He is a national figure who wants to support us. He is experienced and has a wide network," Prabowo added.
General Chairman of the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Suhardi said his party can win support from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) members with Mahfud joining the Prabowo-Hatta team.
"Many members of NU support us. PKB supports another party, but its NU members support us. We are offering a vision and mission platform to the people. If NU members are interested they are welcome," Suhardi said.
Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa registered themselves as the presidential and vice presidential candidates at the General Election Commission (KPU) here on Tuesday.
Six political parties supporting Prabowo and Hatta are the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Golkar Party and the Crescent and Star Party (PBB).
The two arrived at KPU at 2 p.m. wearing white uniforms and black caps and were accompanied by PAN founder Amien Rais, Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie, PPP Chief Suryadharma Alie, Gerindra Secretary General Ahmad Muzani and PKS President Anis Matta.
Prabowo Subianto, the former army's special forces commander, is the chief patron of Gerindra, while Hatta Rajasa is the general chairman of PAN and also the former chief economic minister.
Commotion arose as hundreds of supporters of the pair jostled to gain entry into the KPU building, where the two were scheduled to formally register themselves to contest in the presidential election on July 9.
The situation was different the day before, when rival candidates Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla came to register themselves with KPU and the street in front of the KPU building was closed in connection with the event on Tuesday.
Chief of the traffic police unit of the Menteng Police Sector Commissioner Billy l. Olle admitted that security had been beefed up because of the large number of Prabowo supporters who came to the event.
"This action was not taken on the request of Prabowo," Billy claimed.
