REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Democratic Party will involve public in primary election, selecting the best candidate for 2014 presidential election. The ruling party claims that it will embrace external candidates as well as internal candidates.

"We will have an open convention. We will ask all Indonesian citizens to participate," a member of Patron Board of Democratic Party, Ahmad Mubarok, who initiated the convention, said on Wednesday. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) who acts as the party chairman earlier announced the plan to hold primary election.

Mubarok said the convention would not only aim to seek presidential candidate, but also vice presidential candidate. The candidates can be from both internal and external of the party. People will be able to evaluate the potential figures for the candidate. The evaluation system will be ranging from social media such as twitter, short messages, survey, and direct question.

The first step of the primary election is to announce the potential names to the public. "We will announce 10-15 names," he said. Then, people can cast their votes through evaluation system. The system is expected to refine the names to five. The names then will be evaluated by respondents. High Assembly of Democratic Party will decide the presidential candidate based on the highest vote.

Despite its steady plan to hold primary election, Mubarok admitted that until today Democratic Party has not made the list of the potential figures.

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