Golkar leader admits delay planned to secure Akbar's bid<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Golkar's convention deputy secretary Rully Chairul Azwar admitted
\non Monday that the decision to delay the selection of Golkar's
\nsole candidate from February to April was taken to secure the
\nchances of party chairman Akbar Tandjung.<\/p>\n
Rully said Golkar cadres would think twice before voting for
\nAkbar if the convention were held in February, especially if the
\nSupreme Court had not handed down a verdict on his legal case by
\nthen.<\/p>\n
Golkar, the country's second biggest party, decided on Sunday
\nto delay selecting five presidential candidates until after the
\nlegislative election scheduled to be held on April 5, 2004.<\/p>\n
"Our decision to delay the convention is part of our
\nanticipation of that condition," he said, referring to the
\npossibility of Akbar's guilty verdict.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who is also Speaker of the House of Representatives
\n(DPR), was sentenced to three years in jail by the Central
\nJakarta District Court for his role in a financial scandal worth
\nRp 40 billion involving the State Logistics Agency. He remains
\nfree pending his appeal to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
Rully said that the party had been "held hostage" by the
\nuncertain legal status of Akbar.<\/p>\n
According to Rully, all seven presidential candidates
\nattending the convention had accepted the decision.<\/p>\n
Although Surya Paloh was a little bit upset, Rully claimed he
\ncould understand the decision. As for former military chief Gen.
\n(ret) Wiranto, Rully said, he was only worried about
\nunderhandedness during the convention.<\/p>\n
Surya Paloh and Yogyakarta Governor Hamengku Buwono were not
\npresent on Monday when Golkar's convention committee explained
\nthe changes that had resulted from the leadership meeting.<\/p>\n
Hamengku Buwono, who was in Yogyakarta sent an aide to
\nrepresent him at the meeting, but Surya Paloh did not.<\/p>\n
"I had expected that the convention (process) would be
\nfinished in February 2004. The most important thing is that the
\ndelay must not benefit a certain candidate," Hamengku Buwono was
\nquoted by Antara news agency as saying on the sidelines of a
\nplenary meeting of Yogyakarta's Provincial Legislature in
\nYogyakarta on Monday.<\/p>\n
He did elaborate on his statement.<\/p>\n
Rully said that the decision was also made to help the members
\nof Golkar concentrate on how to win the legislative elections.<\/p>\n
He added all seven candidates would be given campaign duties
\nleading up to the legislative elections slated for April 5.<\/p>\n
Golkar will allow all seven candidates to present their vision
\nand aims before the leaders of Golkar's executive board,
\nprovincial and regental chapters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The presentations of the seven candidates will be divided into
\nthree sessions. Three candidates will be heard in the first
\nsession, while two candidates in the second and third sessions.<\/p>\n
A number of political experts, including Salim Said, Din
\nSyamsuddin, Fachry Ali, Umar Juoro, and Dewi Fortuna Anwar, will
\nappear to chair the sessions.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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