Golkar may cede to demands and delay party election<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Demands have mounted from Golkar's regional chapters to delay the
\nelection of the party's presidential candidate ahead of its
\nleadership meeting here from Oct. 17 through Oct. 19.<\/p>\n
Although there was no official statement from the party's
\nboard of executives regarding the possible delay, at least two
\nparty leaders Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa and Ibrahim Ambong disclosed
\non Thursday that many regional chapters supported the demand.<\/p>\n
Agun claimed that 19 provincial chapters had urged for the
\npostponement of the election of the sole presidential candidate
\nuntil after the general election on April 5 next year, two months
\nbehind the original schedule.<\/p>\n
But chairman of the leadership meeting organizing committee
\nAgung Laksono said debate on the possibility of delaying the
\nnational convention was not on the initial agenda of the three-
\nday event.<\/p>\n
"However, we may discuss and take a decision on a proposal to
\ndelay the announcement of the convention results," Agung told a
\npress conference here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
A delay to the national convention is expected to give Golkar
\nleaders more time to consolidate the party.<\/p>\n
Among the topics to be discussed during the leadership meeting
\nare efforts to improve organizational consolidation as well as
\nthe strategy to win the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said the party had planned to
\nrecruit more members in anticipation of the elections of
\nlegislative members and the president.<\/p>\n
"Today, we have seven million members and we plan to double
\nthe number, which will roughly equal 10 percent of the number of
\neligible voters in the elections," Akbar said.<\/p>\n
To facilitate the plan, Golkar will deploy 1.5 million "well-
\ntrained" cadres in districts and villages throughout the country
\nto woo public support, particularly first-time voters, Akbar
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Akbar asserted that through the leadership meeting, Golkar
\nwould try to win back the hearts and minds of the people.<\/p>\n
The reform movement that ousted then president Soeharto and
\nGolkar chief patron in 1998 also ended the party's domination
\nwhen it lost in the 1999 election to President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.<\/p>\n
Akbar said the party would also prepare guidelines to replace
\nits representatives in the legislative bodies.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, convention chairman Slamet Effendi Yusuf said seven
\ncandidates were declared eligible for the preliminary convention
\nscheduled for Oct. 20 and Oct. 21.<\/p>\n
All 30 provincial chapters have reported their convention
\nresults.<\/p>\n
The seven nominees are businessman Aburizal Bakrie, former
\nmilitary chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto, media mogul Surya Paloh,
\nGolkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, former chief of Army's Strategic
\nReserve (Kostrad) Prabowo Subianto, and Yogyakarta Governor
\nHamengkubuwono X.<\/p>\n
"Each candidate will be given time to deliver their vision and
\nmission during the convention," he said.<\/p>\n
Both Akbar and Slamet denied claims that the leadership
\nmeeting held before the preliminary convention was designed to
\nforce representatives of regional chapters to vote for certain
\ncandidates.<\/p>\n
Akbar said he believed each regional chapter already had its
\npreference in the convention.<\/p>\n
Added Slamet: "The only thing that may change the preference
\nis the vision and mission delivered by the presidential
\ncandidates during the convention."<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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