"We are of the view that Mahfud has the criteria."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Former Constitutional Court (MK) chairman Mahfud MD gets support from Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia to become a presidential candidate in the 2014 presidential race.

Mahfud said through his electronic message to ANTARA News on Thursday that he got the support from the Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia in Madinah.

The former MK chairman is now in Saudi Arabia to perform a minor haj pilgrimage (umroh).

In his electronic message, Mahfud said that support for hims to become a presidential candidate in next presidential elections came from not only supporters in Indonesia but also from Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) in Saudi Arabia.

"We in Saudi Arabia, the Indonesian citizens in Madinah, Jidda and Mecca, support Mahfud as a presidential hopeful in the coming presidential elections," Spokesman of TKI in Saudi Arabia Ahmad Fuad said in a dialog with Mahfud.

Fuad said that Indonesia now needed not only a firm leader with high commitment to enforcing the law but also a leader who was clean from various legal cases.

"We are of the view that Mahfud has the criteria," Fuad, who is also the chairman of the special branch of the country`s largest Muslim organization Nahdatul Ulama (NU), in Saudi Arabia, said.

On the support, Mahfud expressed gratitude, asking the TKIs to convey prayers for the realization of Indonesia being led by a figure who could bring the nation to a better life.

"Please do not only pray for me but for other figures so that God would grant goodness for the Indonesian people through the leadership of a responsible person who is able to bring to luck to our nation," Mahfud said.

According to data available at the National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers Overseas (BNP2TKI), the number of Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia is recorded at 1.5 million.

Since August 1, 2011 the Indonesian government has been imposing a moratorium on the sending of domestic helpers to Saudi Arabia because the Saudi government is not able to protect them against various violence cases.

In the meantime, some 50 youths who claimed to be members of Madura for Indonesia (Madu) forum staged a rally last week in East Java, in support of former chief justice of the Constitutional Court Mahfud MD`s nomination for presidency in the 2014 elections.

"We support Mahfud to run for the presidency. We believe he deserves to lead this nation to get out of a multidimensional crisis of confidence," spokesman of Madura youths Abd Syukur said.

The rally which took place at the tollgate of Suramadu bridge was jointly held with the foundation 135 which has so far pushed Mahfud to contest the presidential election.

At the tightly-guarded rally, the demonstrators also distributed stickers among passersby to support Mahfud`s bid for presidency.

"The movement to introduce Mahfud to the public needs to be done because he has so far been popular among academics and bureaucrats only," he said.

After distributing brochures among passersby the demonstrators dispersed peacefully.

Earlier, Mahfud said he was ready to run for the presidency in the 2014 elections.

"If the people trust me, as a good citizen, I will not refuse the trust," he said following his farewell speech at the Constitutional Court building here.
(Uu.A014/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013