Dissenting Golkar leaders ignore order<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari and Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta\/Mataram<\/p>\n
Golkar politicians suspended from the party for refusing to back
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri in Monday's presidential election runoff,
\ncontinued on Thursday in their activities in support of Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
The Golkar dissenters, led by Fahmi Idris and Marzuki
\nDarusman, hosted a national meeting in Jakarta on Thursday to
\nconsolidate support for Susilo and running mate Jusuf Kalla.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung and secretary-general
\nBudi Harsono issued a letter warning all party members against
\nattending the meeting organized by Fahmi and Marzuki.<\/p>\n
Thursday's forum was attended by Burhanuddin Napitupulu, Abu
\nHasan Sazili, Abu Hanifah, Yoeslin Nasution and Juniwati Sofwan,
\nall Golkar executives who were made non-active by the party's
\ncentral board on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Former home affairs minister Syarwan Hamid, a retired three-
\nstar Army general, and businessman Sofyan Wanandi were also seen
\nat the meeting.<\/p>\n
All of those in attendance, about 250 in all, received pins
\nbearing the pictures of Susilo and Kalla.<\/p>\n
Kalla, who was invited to the forum, was unable to attend as
\nhe was at a campaign rally at the Senayan sports hall in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
While the meeting was in progress at the Balai Sudirman
\nBuilding in South Jakarta, a group of 30 people dressed in
\nGolkar's yellow color staged a rally outside the venue.<\/p>\n
The protesters denounced Fahmi and Marzuki for using Golkar
\nattributes in their activities even though they had been
\nsuspended from the party.<\/p>\n
Golkar dismissed Kalla as a party adviser and suspended Fahmi,
\nMarzuki and nine others following a six-hour meeting of the
\nparty's central board on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The action was taken against the group for defying Golkar's
\nofficial decision to support Megawati and running mate Hasyim
\nMuzadi in the Sept. 20 runoff.<\/p>\n
Golkar formed a coalition with the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI-P), the United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nProsperous Peace Party (PDS) to help Megawati win the
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
Fahmi and his allies opposed the Nationhood Coalition, and set
\nup the Golkar Reform Forum to solicit support for Susilo.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists, Marzuki said he had yet to receive
\nofficial notification of his suspension, so there was no reason
\nnot to go ahead with the meeting on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"I do not care whether this meeting is considered illegal or
\nnot,\" said the former attorney general.<\/p>\n
In a speech at the gathering, Fahmi dismissed the Nationhood
\nCoalition that Golkar had formed, saying it was ineffective.<\/p>\n
The recent election of East Java's new provincial legislature
\nspeaker is an example of the coalition's inability to exert its
\nwill, he added.<\/p>\n
Ridwan Hisyam, a local Golkar leader, was defeated by a
\ncandidate from the National Awakening Party (PKB) for the
\nposition.<\/p>\n
\"It clearly shows that the coalition does not work,\" Fahmi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Akbar insisted on Thursday internal bickering within Golkar
\nwould not affect his party's support for Megawati in the
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The decision to suspend Fahmi and his allies had the support
\nof most of Golkar's regional chapters, Akbar claimed during a
\nvisit to the Syeh Zainuddin NW Anjani Islamic boarding school in
\nEast Lombok regency, West Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>",
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