Golkar delays candidate selection<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Golkar has decided to delay selecting a presidential candidate
\nuntil after the legislative election in April 2004 instead of its
\ntargeted date of February 2004.<\/p>\n
Party chairman Akbar Tandjung told a press conference here on
\nSunday evening that the move was aimed at allowing the party to
\nconcentrate on preparations for next year's legislative election
\nscheduled for April 5.<\/p>\n
With the delay, the seven presidential aspirants who received
\nthe support of at least five provinces in the first round of the
\nconvention will continue to be legitimate Golkar candidates until
\nafter the party chooses one definitive candidate in April or May
\n2004.<\/p>\n
He said the delay would also help strengthen the party's
\ninternal consolidation.<\/p>\n
The delay, however, did not come as a surprise as many
\nobservers had speculated that selecting a presidential candidate
\nin February 2004 would severely affect the party's performance in
\nthe legislative elections as the unsuccessful candidates would
\nlikely leave the party and run as candidates for other parties.<\/p>\n
Some had also suggested that the delay was a ploy from Akbar
\nto secure his candidacy as it would give him more time to wait
\nfor the Supreme Court's decision on his appeal against his
\nconviction for corruption.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who is also the speaker of the House of Representatives
\n(DPR), was sentenced to three years in jail for his role in a
\nfinancial scandal involving Rp 40 billion.<\/p>\n
So far, Wiranto has garnered the greatest support from all of
\nGolkar regency\/municipality chapters across the country for his
\npresidential candidacy, followed by Akbar in second place.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will also hold its first ever presidential election
\nin two stages on July 5 and Sept. 20 respectively.<\/p>\n
Akbar also announced on Sunday that seven contestants running
\nfor the presidential nomination during the party's convention
\nwould also qualify to participate in the party's pre-convention
\nmeeting, which will take place on Monday and Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Those seven contestants were Aburizal Bakrie, with support
\nfrom 28 provinces, Surya Paloh (27 provinces), Gen. (ret) Wiranto
\n(25 provinces), Akbar Tandjung (23 provinces), Yusuf Kalla (20
\nprovinces), Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto (14 provinces) and
\nSri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X (seven provinces).<\/p>\n
The decision was taken by the Golkar convention executive
\nboard, and was signed by its chairman Oetojo Oesman and secretary
\nAndi Mattalatta.<\/p>\n
With this decision, Golkar has revised its earlier decision
\nwhich stipulates that only five contestants will be picked for
\nthe pre-convention meeting.<\/p>\n
Besides these two important decisions, Golkar has also issued
\nseveral other rulings including, setting target for its share of
\nthe vote in next year's elections and the recall of party
\nlegislators.<\/p>\n
Regarding the party's vote expectations, Akbar said Golkar
\nexpected to get 31 percent of the total 550 seats on offer,
\nmeaning 170 seats in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
It also hoped to gain 33 percent of the vote from the 143-
\nmillion-strong electorate across the country, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Based on our party's observations on the ground, we are
\noptimistic we will meet our target,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/golkar-delays-candidate-selection-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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