Anas Urbaningrum elected Democratic Party chairman

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 05/23/2010 8:00 PM | Headlines

New Democratic Party chairman:Anas Urbaningrum

The second congress of Democratic Party, the biggest political party at the House of Representatives, elected on Sunday evening young politician Anas Urbaningrum as its new chairman. 

Anas, currently chairman of the party faction at the House of Representatives, beat House of Representatives Marzuki Alie 280 by 246 votes. 

In the first round, Anas also collected most votes during the first round of elections. Anas collected 236 votes, followed by Marzuki Alie with 209, and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Andi Mallarangeng trailing at the bottom with only 82 votes.

"This is the victory of the Democratic Party. Three of us will fight for the betterment of the Democratic Party," Anas said, as quoted by TVOne as saying, referring to Marzuki, Andi and himself.  

"This election shows that we can practice democracy well, full of friendship. This is the friendship democracy in Indonesia," he added.

Before the second round of voting, the party's patron President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told participants of the party congress to “listen to their hearts” when voting for the new chairman of the party.

"The first round of elections ran smoothly. Congratulations to Anas Urbaningrum and Marzuki Alie. Andi, you have fought your best but you have to accept your defeat," Yudhoyono told the candidates in front of the congress participants.

Yudhoyono told participants to not succumb to pressure from others in the next round of voting.

"I hope all of you will listen to your hearts. There must be no pressures from anyone. No Democratic [Party] members may pressure others. Everyone may vote according to their hearts," he said.