Coalition Of Islamic Parties Difficult To Build: PKB

Jakarta, Apr 15 (Antara) - The Nation Awakening Party (PKB) said it will be difficult for Islamic parties to build a coalition because each of them had moved to forge a coalition axis with nationalist parties. "I think it will be difficult for Islamic parties to build a coalition because they had already communicated with the nationalist parties for a coalition axis," PKB`s associate chairman Helmy Faishal Zaini said here on Tuesday. Based on that, the PKB will communicate with two nationalist parties, namely the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) and the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), he said when asked for his comment on the issue after attending an NU event at State Islam University in Ciputat. He said communication with other Islamic parties was therefore limited so far. Helmy added that the PKB had been intensely communicating with the PDIP and the Gerindra for a possible coalition, but the PKB will no longer insist on seeking a vice presidential post. "Initially, we targeted nominating our own presidential candidate as we were confident that we could win 15 percent or even 20 percent of the votes. However, based on quick counts so far it appeared that the PKB will only garner between 10 percent and 11 percent and so it would be impossible for us to be able to lead a coalition," he said. In view of that, Helmy said the PKB only proposed the names of vice presidential candidates to the PDIP and the Gerindra, including manpower minister Muhaimin Iskandar, who is also the party`s general chairman; musician Rhoma Irama; former constitutional court chief justice Mahfud MD; and former vice president Jusuf Kalla. Who will be chosen among them will depend on the coalition leaders, he said.