Calls mount to replace Habibie 'within Golkar'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Deputy chairman of the ruling Golkar, Marzuki
\nDarusman, said on Thursday that calls to replace the incumbent
\nPresident B.J. Habibie as the party's sole presidential candidate
\nhad strengthened.<\/p>\n
\"It is growing, but it is difficult to measure as a
\npercentage... we are not trying to create a polarization, (but)
\nit is clear that there are differences of opinion about Habibie's
\ncandidacy,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
He said the party had nominated Habibie in the hope of winning
\n40 percent of the total vote, but had instead obtained
\napproximately 25 percent of the vote.<\/p>\n
\"It's clear that Golkar miscalculated... so now the question
\nis whether the miscalculation has anything to do with Habibie's
\ncandidacy or not.<\/p>\n
\"The second question is whether we can still push Habibie's
\ncandidacy all the way to the end. This is a normal issue to be
\ndiscussed in a democratic forum such as Golkar,\" Marzuki said,
\nreferring to the party's meeting planned for Friday.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said earlier that Habibie's candidacy was a blow to
\nthe party, as the latter was considered to have strong links with
\nformer president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"By winning only 25 percent of the total vote, we need at
\nleast two or three parties (to join Golkar in a coalition),
\nunless we want to coalesce with PDI Perjuangan (the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle).<\/p>\n
\"However, PDI Perjuangan already has a presidential candidate,
\nand that is Megawati Soekarnoputri. If we want to coalesce, we
\nhave to be clear (on the matter) should the question over
\nHabibie's candidacy come up. We must be ready with an answer.\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki said that \"just because the previous leadership
\nmeeting (in May) nominated Habibie, that is not an adequate
\n(reason to maintain his candidacy).\"<\/p>\n
\"(The Friday meeting) will be the starting point of an
\nevaluation within Golkar whether to push Habibie as a
\npresidential candidate without compromising Golkar's principles.\"<\/p>\n
Another Golkar leader, however, said the selection of the
\nGolkar presidential candidate was final. Agung Laksono said late
\non Thursday the party's decision would not be reviewed.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar is committed to the leadership meeting's decision, so
\n(an evaluation of Habibie's candidacy) will not be discussed at
\nall (during the meeting),\" Agung, who is also State Minister of
\nYouth Affairs and Sports, said at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is scheduled to meet
\nin November to select the next president.<\/p>\n
After tough lobbying at a May meeting of the party's chapter
\nheads, Golkar decided to appoint Habibie as its sole candidate
\nfor the presidency.<\/p>\n
But the choice has left the party struggling to distance
\nitself from a 32-year association as the political vehicle of
\nSoeharto's ironfisted rule.<\/p>\n
Marzuki acknowledged last month that Golkar was \"still looking
\naround for parties that would support Habibie's candidacy\".<\/p>\n
\"As far as the presidential nomination is concerned, we have
\nnot yet found any party willing to support our candidacy,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Despite trailing PDI Perjuangan in the June 7 general
\nelection, Golkar officials have said they still hope to control
\nthe House of Representatives\/People's Consultative Assembly, and
\nthe vote for the presidency, through alliances with other
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, the National Commission on Human Rights
\ncalled on all political leaders to promptly recognize the
\npolitical party winning a majority of the vote as the poll
\nwinner.<\/p>\n
The rights commission, however, also said that supporters of
\nthe winning party should bear in mind that their leader would not
\nautomatically win the presidential seat. (byg)<\/p>",
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