Golkar meeting canceled<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A scheduled Golkar meeting due to be held
\nyesterday evening was canceled under the request of former
\npresident Soeharto who still holds the post of head of Golkar's
\nboard of patrons.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung disclosed yesterday
\nthat President B.J. Habibie, also the executive chairman of the
\npatron board, canceled the meeting after receiving Soeharto's
\nrequest which was conveyed through former vice president Try
\nSutrisno.<\/p>\n
Members of Golkar's patron board and provincial patron chiefs,
\nprovincial governors, were slated to hold a meeting at the Armed
\nForces headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, yesterday
\nevening.<\/p>\n
News of plans that a meeting would be held at the Armed Forces
\nheadquarters was strongly criticized by the United Development
\nParty who initially claimed that it was held over the weekend.<\/p>\n
Akbar yesterday said the meeting was also slated to be
\nattended by Golkar's greater family which included the Armed
\nForces and bureaucracy, in preparation for Golkar's extraordinary
\ncongress on July 9-11.<\/p>\n
According to Akbar, Soeharto believes that the meeting should
\nbe preceded by a plenary meeting of all patron board leaders.<\/p>\n
\"As the executive chairman (Habibie) always prioritizes the
\nunity and cohesion so he agreed and would prioritize the plenary
\nmeeting of the patron board,\" Akbar told journalists said after
\nattending the swearing ceremony of new chiefs of the Navy, Air
\nForce and National Police at the State Palace yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Frankly speaking Pak Habibie and Pak Harto practically never
\nmeet. So as there was someone else who was relatively easier to meet
\nwith him, then the message was sent through this man. In this
\ncontext it is Pak Try,\" Akbar explained.<\/p>\n
Akbar, also secretary of the board, added that Golkar's patron
\nboard would meet sometime this week at its headquarter on Jl.
\nTeuku Umar, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We are still seeking for an appropriate day this week,\" said
\nAkbar.<\/p>\n
Letter<\/p>\n
Separately, Golkar Chairman Harmoko also confirmed that a
\nletter from the board of patron's secretariat asking for the
\ncancellation of the planned meeting was received by the
\norganization's central board Sunday evening.<\/p>\n
He said the aim of the meeting was \"a consultation and
\ncoordination meeting\" of Golkar's greater family.<\/p>\n
When asked why he thought the meeting was canceled Habibie
\nreplied: \"Go ask the board of patrons\".<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Minister of Defense and Security Affairs\/Armed
\nForces chief Gen. Wiranto said that in observance of the reform
\nera, the Armed Forces (ABRI) would likely not continue its
\npresent relationship with Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI-Golkar relationship will not be continued,\" Wiranto told
\njournalists here yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"In such a reform era, it's impossible for ABRI to maintain
\nthe status quo, including its position in Golkar,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar should be independent and free from outside
\nintervention...ABRI wants to maintain the same distance from all
\nof sociopolitical elements in the country,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the upcoming congress, Harmoko revealed that one
\nof the likely agendas would be to \"reform\" the board of patrons.<\/p>\n
\"In line with the reform spirit, we think, the board of
\npatrons, the provincial council board and the board of advisors
\nmust be revised, reformed,\" he said without elaborating.
\n(prb\/aan\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/golkar-meeting-canceled-1447893297",
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