Golkar confident of winning next year's election<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Despite Golkar's badly-tarnished image, the
\ndominant political grouping has asserted their confidence of
\nvictory in next year's general elections.<\/p>\n
In a news conference after Sunday's session of a Golkar
\nleadership meeting, the chairmen of the East Java, Irian Jaya,
\nYogyakarta, Bengkulu and East Timor chapters claimed they still
\nhad massive support in rural areas of the country.<\/p>\n
Moderator and Golkar executive Ekki Syahrudin also said Golkar
\nwas optimistic because it was a \"non-sectarian party which puts
\nan emphasis on nationalism\".<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Golkar, which in the past steadfastly maintained
\nthat it was a social and political organization and not a
\npolitical party, finally declared it was now called the Golkar
\nParty. It claims a membership of 34 million, including 12 million
\nrecent recruits.<\/p>\n
The chapters' chairmen said they believed they could win
\nagain, as their have done in the country's six previous
\nelections, all of which have been slammed as unfair by observers.<\/p>\n
Deputy Head of Golkar's Electoral Winning Department A. Slamet
\nEffendy Jusuf said Golkar was offering \"concrete programs
\naddressing the people's needs,\" adding that the \"reformed Golkar\"
\nwould strive \"not to repeat past mistakes.\"<\/p>\n
Golkar Chairman Akbar Tandjung, who is also Minister\/State
\nSecretary, said on Saturday when opening the meeting that Golkar
\nadmitted its past mistakes. In response to the need for an
\napology, Slamet said: \"(The Pledge) not to repeat past mistakes
\nis more important than a trumpeted apology.\"<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya chapter chairman T.N. Kaiway said: \"We are sure we
\ncan still win,\" although he qualified this optimism by saying the
\nvictory was likely be by a smaller margin than in 1997, when
\nGolkar won 88.86 percent of the votes in the trouble-torn
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Kaiway acknowledged that new political parties established
\nsince May, which now number nearly 90, could also reduce Golkar's
\nwinning margin.<\/p>\n
When asked if Golkar felt threatened by the National Mandate
\nParty (PAN) set up by popular government critic Amien Rais,
\nYogyakarta chapter chairman Sudarno said Golkar was unfazed.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is how to convince Yogyakartans that Golkar is
\nstill a worthy choice,\" he said. Last year, Golkar won 62.58
\npercent of the votes in Yogyakarta, Amien's home town.<\/p>\n
The East Java chapter was the most upbeat about its chances,
\ndespite several political parties targeting the Moslem vote in
\nthe province. Last year, Golkar secured 62.97 of the votes in
\nEast Java.<\/p>\n
The chapter's chairman, Sutomo, claimed Golkar still enjoyed
\nsupport from the Moslem community, most of whom are members of
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Moslem organization.<\/p>\n
Sutomo dismissed the popular People's Awakening Party (PKB) --
\nfounded by popular NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid -- as being
\n\"only big in promotions\".<\/p>\n
\"Nahdliyin (NU members) have struggled alongside Golkar for 30
\nyears,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Following his travels through rural East Java, Sutomo said
\nthat in reality, \"it's Golkar that has the support of the
\nmasses.\" (aan)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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