Marzuki retains position in Golkar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A Golkar Party executive board meeting discussed
\nproposals to dismiss party deputy Marzuki Darusman following
\ncontroversial statements he made, but decided he was harmless to
\nthe party.<\/p>\n
"We have no grounds to dismiss Marzuki," Golkar chairman Akbar
\nTandjung said on Tuesday at the party headquarters in West
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
"All of his statements are still within normal limits and will
\nnot jeopardize Golkar's political interests," Akbar said. He
\nwould not say when the meeting took place, but Marzuki said the
\nmeeting was on Sunday.<\/p>\n
"(Marzuki's statements) even prove to the outside world that
\ndemocratization is happening within Golkar," he said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki has repeatedly opposed the party's decision to support
\nthe presidential reelection of incumbent B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said recently that calls within the party were growing
\nto have Golkar reconsider its support for Habibie's reelection
\nbecause the party's performance in the June 7 polls fell below
\ntarget.<\/p>\n
At the last national meeting Akbar said all 27 provinces had
\nagreed to support Habibie, but Marzuki expressed doubts on
\nwhether the decision was unanimous.<\/p>\n
"Marzuki assumed that Golkar's failure to secure 40 percent of
\nthe overall vote was connected to Golkar's announcement before
\nthe June 7 elections that it would name incumbent president B.J.
\nHabibie as its presidential candidate," Akbar said.<\/p>\n
"And based on his analysis, Marzuki suggested that Golkar
\nreview its decision," Akbar said. His statement was only an
\nanalysis, Akbar said, adding that he had no doubt regarding
\nMarzuki's loyalty to the party.<\/p>\n
"Marzuki has been active in Golkar since the early 1970s even
\nbefore I joined the party," Akbar said.<\/p>\n
Akbar reiterated that Golkar's executive board would not
\nchange its decision on naming Habibie its sole presidential
\ncandidate.<\/p>\n
"The decision was made in Golkar's leadership meeting last
\nOctober."<\/p>\n
Marzuki suggested prior to the campaign period that Golkar
\nconsider other names, particularly since Habibie had been accused
\nof deliberate foot-dragging in initiating an investigation into
\nallegations of corruption leveled at former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"I told Marzuki that despite Golkar's failure to meet the
\ntarget, President Habibie still has a great opportunity to be
\nreelected in the presidential election," he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Marzuki told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday there had
\nbeen a party meeting on July 11 to discuss his recent statement
\nthat incumbent President B.J. Habibie's candidacy should be
\nreconsidered.<\/p>\n
Reports said Tuesday that a number of Golkar officials had
\ncalled for the expulsion of Marzuki from the party as he had
\nopenly opposed backing Habibie for a new term.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said earlier that Habibie's candidacy was a further
\nblow to the party, as the latter was considered to have strong
\nlinks with former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
He said on Tuesday that he was not "overly apprehensive" about
\nthe criticism "because it is only a matter of coming up with an
\nalternative view".<\/p>\n
"What I am presenting is an open analysis that (Golkar) was
\nonly able to get 20 percent of the vote rather than the 40
\npercent that was our original projection... so the question is
\ndo we still have the strength to mobilize support (for
\nHabibie)... it is not questioning the leadership meeting's
\ndecision... it is only asking a question," Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
"The fact that they (Golkar executives) are reacting to an
\nanalysis would show the state of apprehension that the Habibie
\ngroup is now in... with regard to the uncertainty of Mr.
\nHabibie's reelection."<\/p>\n
Marzuki said some people within the party might have been a
\nbit annoyed by his statement.<\/p>\n
"But I think that at one point they will understand what the
\nmessage is," he added.(byg\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/marzuki-retains-position-in-golkar-1447893297",
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