Akbar accuses Baramuli of plotting mutiny<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Long-standing but silent rivalry between Golkar chairman Akbar
\nTandjung and the party's patron Achmad Arnold Baramuli rose to
\nthe surface on Wednesday as Akbar accused his foe of campaigning
\nagainst his leadership.<\/p>\n
Akbar told the press at the House of Representatives building
\nthat he had obtained reports that Baramuli had sent a facsimile
\nin his personal capacity to 70 of the party's regency-level
\nbranches, soliciting their support for his demand for an
\nextraordinary congress that might lead to Akbar's ouster.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting of the party advisory team a few days ago reached
\nan agreement to rule out the snap congress plan. But Baramuli
\npersonally sent the facsimiles to our branch offices, which
\nsounded a call for support for an extraordinary congress,\" Akbar
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Akbar's statement came ahead of a meeting between him and a
\ngroup of five Golkar patrons, including Baramuli, on Friday, for
\na dialog to appease demands to move forward the party congress
\nfrom 2004 to 2003.<\/p>\n
Baramuli's resentment of Akbar was sparked by Golkar's failure
\nto win its candidate B.J. Habibie the presidency in 1999, much of
\nthe blame rested with the Golkar chairman.<\/p>\n
Akbar said both the party branches and top executives would
\nnot respond to Baramuli's call.<\/p>\n
\"Everybody has agreed that the congress will take place as
\nplanned in 2004, just after the general election,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
Despite the maneuvering that has endangered his leadership,
\nAkbar said he would not take action against Baramuli.<\/p>\n
Akbar said he had written to all Golkar patrons to ask them to
\nadhere to their role as advisors who did not wield power. \"We are
\nasking the patrons to be in conformity with us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He had previously expressed confidence that he would remain
\nparty chairman until his term expired in 2004, thanks to support
\nfrom all Golkar's 30 provincial chapters.<\/p>\n
The dialog involving Akbar and five of the party's patrons
\ngrouped in the so-named Golkar 'salvation council' was to take
\nplace at the party's headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Council members and two top party executives held talks on
\nMonday, where they agreed to formalize the council but limited
\nits authority to advisory functions only. Former manpower
\nminister and Golkar patron Cosmas Batubara was named the
\ncouncil's chairman and the party's deputy secretary-general,
\nBomer Pasaribu, its secretary.<\/p>\n
Demands for a snap congress have been widespread since Akbar,
\nwho is House Speaker, was implicated in a Rp 40 billion scam
\ninvolving State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds.<\/p>\n
Cosmas, former justice minister Muladi, former Supreme
\nAdvisory Council chief Baramuli and senior party members
\nSuhardiman and Pinantun Hutasoit founded the council last
\nThursday out of concern that Akbar's case would endanger Golkar
\nas an institution.<\/p>\n
A snap congress requires support from two thirds of the
\nparty's regency branches, according to the party's statutes.<\/p>\n
Golkar legislator Rambe Kamarulzaman had earlier urged the
\nsenior members to help both the party and Akbar emerge from the
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
\"They must help both Golkar and Akbar. The fate of Akbar can't
\nbe separated from efforts to save the party,\" Rambe told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said the five senior members would have to prove they were
\nnot advancing their own political ambitions by moving to the
\nrescue of both Golkar and Akbar.<\/p>\n
\"Well, I hope they can help. If they can't extend a helping
\nhand, I don't think there is a need to form a salvation team,\"
\nRambe added.<\/p>\n
He emphasized that the calls for an extraordinary congress did
\nnot represent the collective opinion of Golkar's patrons, but the
\npersonal opinion of members of the group.<\/p>",
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