Akbar Tandjung 'too too strong to unseat'<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Akbar Tandjung is the man to beat in the race for the Golkar
\nParty leadership, and challenging the incumbent will be difficult
\nif not impossible, analysts say.<\/p>\n
Analyst Fachry Ali, of the Institute for Business Ethics, said
\ndespite the nomination of big political names such as Vice
\nPresident Jusuf Kalla and House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker
\nAgung Laksono for the party's top post, Akbar was likely to win
\nthe election given his control over a substantial number of
\nGolkar's 33 provincial chapters.<\/p>\n
\"Among Akbar's contenders, Kalla is the strongest and yet he
\nwill only likely win support from a number of provincial chapters
\nfrom Sulawesi, while Akbar has already secured backing from
\nprovincial chapters in Sumatra and some in Java,\" Fachry told The
\nJakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Five Golkar members have declared their bid to become Golkar's
\nparty leader. They are Akbar, Kalla, Marwah Daud Ibrahim, Slamet
\nEffendy Yusuf and Gen. (ret) Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Media mogul Surya Paloh pulled out from the race to pave the
\nway for Kalla's nomination. Paloh then put his name forward for a
\nposition in the party's advisory body.<\/p>\n
Fachry said Akbar also had the advantage of having been able
\nto maintain the party's prevailing standing orders, which granted
\nvoting rights to provincial chapters. The orders say only Golkar
\npoliticians with at least five years experience as members of the
\nparty's executive board can run for the top post.<\/p>\n
Wiranto, the only candidate who has not been a member of the
\nboard, is still running and trying to have these orders amended.<\/p>\n
Realizing that beating the two strong candidates would be an
\nuphill challenge, the remaining candidates would be left with a
\nlittle choice but to align with Akbar or Kalla, Fachry said.<\/p>\n
Fachry said that should the rivalry for the Golkar leadership
\nturn into a two-horse race between Kalla and Akbar, the
\nlikelihood of vote buying would be reduced as both were known for
\npromoting the principles of democracy.<\/p>\n
Golkar is holding its national congress to elect a new leader
\nfrom Dec. 15 through Dec. 20 in Nusa Dua, Bali.<\/p>\n
Sukardi Rinakit, of the Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicated (SSS)
\npolitical polling organization, meanwhile, said Kalla's
\nnomination for Golkar's top post would likely go against public
\nexpectations that government officials should not assume posts in
\npolitical parties.<\/p>\n
\"He would also risk being considered someone who hindered the
\nconsolidation of democracy as his motive for running for election
\nas Golkar leader would be to keep the administration of President
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono in power,\" he told the Post.<\/p>\n
Such expectations could prove a stumbling block for Kalla's
\nnomination because most of the big political parties in the
\ncountry were no longer led by figures who held positions in
\npublic office, he said.<\/p>\n
Sukardi said the same belief would likely impede the candidacy
\nof Agung, who had been elected the House of Representatives
\nSpeaker.<\/p>\n
Sukardi said Kalla's nomination had limited the chances of
\nWiranto, the strongest candidate before the vice president joined
\nthe race.<\/p>\n
\"Taking all this into consideration, Akbar will be the
\nstrongest candidate in the race,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Akbar also had a strong grip on the party's central executive
\nboard and on party members in the House, he said.<\/p>\n
\"These people will do their utmost to secure Akbar's
\nreelection. Those (members) who sit in the House, who are mostly
\nsupporters of Akbar, face the possibility of dismissal if Kalla
\nis elected the new chairman,\" he said.<\/p>",
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