Akbar Tandjung set for presidential nomination<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said on
\nMonday that he was ready for the presidential race in 2004.<\/p>\n
But like many other politicians who refrain from
\noutspokenness, Akbar played down his candidacy, saying it was too
\nearly to discuss the issue.<\/p>\n
"When the time comes, I will think about it. But for now it's
\nnot the right time to talk about the nomination," Akbar, who is
\nalso the House of Representatives speaker, said.<\/p>\n
He said the presidential nomination was not discussed at the
\nparty's plenary meeting, which ended on Friday night. The party
\nwill concentrate on internal consolidation to face the next
\ngeneral election, also in 2004, Akbar said.<\/p>\n
He said the nomination would only be given to the floor after
\nthe party identified and unified its supporters.<\/p>\n
A Golkar legislator, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, agreed that
\nAkbar's nomination was not an urgent matter, since it would take
\nplace after the general election.<\/p>\n
"Like us, other political parties, such as the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle and the National Mandate Party, have
\nnot officially nominated their chairpersons Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri and Amien Rais respectively for presidency," Ferry,
\nwho is a former chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Student
\nAssociation, said.<\/p>\n
Golkar legislator Yasril Ananta Baharuddin said on Sunday that
\nthe party's leadership meeting scheduled to be held in July was
\nexpected to decide on Akbar's nomination for presidency.<\/p>\n
Yasril said Akbar would be nominated for the presidency since
\nthe party's plenary meeting agreed to elect a new chairman after
\nthe next general election.<\/p>\n
Not all Golkar members support Akbar's nomination. La Ode
\nDjeni, a Golkar legislator representing Southeast Sulawesi,
\nopposed Akbar's presidential bid.<\/p>\n
"It's too early to nominate Akbar. If it's only a discourse I
\ncan agree with it," Djeni, who is known as a key figure in a
\nrival faction in the party popularly called caucus Iramasuka --
\nan acronym for Irian Jaya, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Sulawesi and
\nKalimantan.<\/p>\n
Instead, Djeni suggested several names, such as former
\nmanpower minister Fahmi Idris, former justice minister Muladi,
\nformer sport and youth affairs minister Agung Laksono and Golkar
\ndeputy chairman Marwah Daud Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
"We, in the Iramasuka group, supported Marwah. She never
\nannounced that she resigned from the party," Djeni said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Golkar Party patron and Iramasuka leader A.A.
\nBaramuli asked Akbar to resign for failing to accommodate
\ngrassroots interests, especially from Eastern Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"Akbar has not heeded aspirations from supporters from the
\neastern part of the country who contributed most of the party's
\nvotes in the last general election," Baramuli said.<\/p>\n
Many analysts suspect that the caucus, known for its staunch
\nsupport for former president B.J. Habibie, harbors a "hate"
\ntoward Akbar, whom they blamed for Habibie's aborted presidential
\ncampaign. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/akbar-tandjung-set-for-presidential-nomination-1447893297",
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