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How old is too old to run for president? For Taufik Kiemas, the answer is 68 — the age his wife, former President Megawati Sukarnoputri, will be in 2014.

Taufik, the chairman of the advisory board of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said his wife, the party’s chairwoman, should reconsider her own plans to run in 2014.

“It would be better if Madame thinks first before moving ahead [in the 2014 elections.] She would be 68 years old in 2014,” he said.

He said the PDI-P should be looking for a replacement for Megawati. “If we prepare younger members in the next three years, one of them will certainly emerge. The older members must give way,” he said.

Taufik’s feelings aside, a recent poll by the Indonesian Voting Network (JSI) found that Megawati and Prabowo Subianto, the founder of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), were the most popular potential presidential candidates for 2014.

Taufik declined to name any potential young PDI-P candidates, nor did he say whether his daughter, Puan Maharani, 38, would be among those groomed.

For her part, Puan said she was ready to run for president. “As a cadre, I’m ready to be assigned to any position, especially if it is mandated by the party,” she said. “My grandfather was president, my mother was also president, and hopefully in 2014 we can win.”

The same family political dynamics were seen during the PDI-P’s last congress, when Taufik pushed for the creation of a deputy chair post in the party, ostensibly for Puan, which was rejected by Megawati’s backers.

The couple have failed to see eye to eye for years, and Taufik said it was his opinion that Megawati should not run, not the party’s.

“Bung Karno once said that leaders would always be born if they were well prepared. Every era would give birth to a leader and they had to be prepared,” he said, referring to the country’s founding president, Sukarno, Megawati’s father.

He said the country and its political parties needed to do a better job of grooming as many potential young leaders as possible.

Taufik added that if the PDI-P insisted on fielding the same old candidates in the 2014 legislative and presidential elections, it risked becoming a laughingstock.

“We once laughed at Suharto when he still wanted to be president at 70. How come we are following in his steps?” he said.

Maruarar Sirait, a young PDI-P politician, rejected the idea that Megawati was too old and said the party should throw its weight behind her in 2014.

He said the results of the JSI survey, which was not commissioned by the party, showed that Megawati still had the support to be a successful candidate in 2014.

“If all the requirements are met, then there is no reason to forbid Mrs. Mega to run for the presidency,” Maruarar said.

Taufik’s comments also sparked a debate among politicians over age requirements for presidential candidates. Priyo Budi Santoso, a deputy House speaker from the Golkar Party, said that age should not become an issue for anyone wishing to serve the state.

“Megawati is also a central figure in this country. If a figure of her calibre still wants to go forward [with a presidential candidacy] then it should be respected. And the same goes for Aburizal Bakrie. If he is pushed [to run], do not forbid him,” Priyo said, referring to the Golkar chairman, who will be 66 when the presidential election takes place.

Priyo said there was no need to rush younger leaders. “If Golkar wants to back senior figures it should be allowed to, don’t scold them,” he said.
Jusuf Kalla:

Born May 15, 1942

Aburizal Bakrie:

Born Nov. 15, 1946

Megawati Sukarnoputri:

Born Jan. 23, 1947

Wiranto:

Born April 4, 1947

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Born Sept. 9, 1949

Prabowo Subianto:

Born Oct. 17, 1951

Ani Yudhoyono:

Born July 6, 1952

Sri Mulyani Indrawati:

Born Aug. 26, 1962