Indonesia's vice-presidential candidates

BBC News Online looks at the five candidates hoping to become Indonesia's vice-president.

Akbar Tanjung:

An experienced politician and speaker of the lower house. He also chairs the Golkar party, Indonesia's second largest political party and for more than three decades the party of former dictator Suharto.

Akbar Tanjung: Could go for presidency

For that reason his candidacy is bitterly opposed by reformist students, but 56-year-old Mr Tanjung has argued his experience is what counts.

"I was a member of the cabinet for 11 years and I've been a member of parliament for 11 years. I have very much experience as a government member," he told reporters.

He is widely tipped to be a presidential candidate in 2004.

Mr Tanjung has been politically active since university. He chaired the Islamic Student Association and then the Indonesian National Youth Committee in the 1970s before graduating from the faculty of technology of the University of Indonesia in 1983.

He joined Golkar in the 1970s and was elected chairman in 1998 following Suharto's fall from office.

A cautious speaker, he became chairman of the lower house of parliament (DPR) in 1999 and played a part in issuing two censure motions against President Abdurrahaman Wahid which led to the impeachment process.

The attorney-general's office has named Mr Tanjung as a suspect in the alleged destruction of data on the flow of funds from the state logistic agency Bulog to the party in 1999. He has yet to be questioned.

Hamzah Haz:

A popular choice who lost to Megawati when she was elected vice-president in 1999, and took defeat well.

He is the leader of the third largest party, the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), and an experienced politician.

Hamzah Haz: Missed out last time

The 61-year-old was a minister for people's welfare under President Wahid, but resigned after two months, saying he wanted to concentrate on his party. Sources at the palace said Mr Wahid had accused him of graft, collusion and nepotism.

Mr Haz became a vocal critic of Mr Wahid, but he is also known for his ability to compromise.

He started his career in the provincial parliament in West Kalimantan in 1968 and after moving to the capital Jakarta, became an MP in 1971, first representing the Muslim Nahdlatul Ulama group and then, from 1973, the PPP.

He was as minister for investment under President BJ Habibie, who replaced Suharto, but resigned to lead the PPP in the 1999 elections.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono:

A widely-respected retired four-star general who was security minister under President Wahid but was sacked for opposing Mr Wahid's threats to declare a state of emergency in the months before he was ousted.

Bambang Yudhoyono: Opposed emergency rule

Despite that, Mohammad Mahfud, justice minister in Mr Wahid's now-dissolved cabinet, said the former leader had thrown his support behind the general.

US-educated General Yudhoyono, 52, is the candidate for the Unity and Nationhood faction which holds 13 seats in parliament, and also has support from individuals in other parties including Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP).

"I know for sure that the support [of the other political factions in parliament] is truly significant for me to become a candidate, but I have to wait of course," he told reporters. "The political game is very dynamic."

Agum Gumelar:

Another a four-star retired general, who took over from General Yudhoyono as security minister.

Agum Gumelar: Took over from sacked minister

He headed the army's powerful Special Forces Kopassus unit, but his military career hit rock bottom after he openly defended Megawati when Suharto tried to quash her party in a bloody military-backed attack in 1996.

The 56-year-old was later reconciled with the armed forces and headed the National Resilience Institute, the state's military think-tank.

Before he got the security minister job, he was Mr Wahid's transportation minister.

He is the candidate of the Islamic-based Unity of the Believers Sovereignty faction, which holds nine seats in parliament.

Siswono Yudo Husodo:

A former housing minister under Suharto in the 1980s and a candidate from the Interest Group faction, which holds 72 seats in the parliament

He is considered an outsider - and should he withdraw his candidacy, whoever gets the support from his sizeable faction will find it crucial.

Mr Husodo, 58, started his political career as an activist during his college days at the Bandung Institute of Technology in the late 1960s. He graduated in 1969 and set up a construction company, PT Bangun Cipta Sarana.

He was a member of Golkar but left the party after Suharto's downfall. He formed the Indonesian Farmer's Unity Association (HKTI), and gained a seat in parliament.