Adi unfazed by Golkar dismissal

Adi unfazed by Golkar dismissal

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises
Adi Sasono played down on Monday Golkar's decision to dismiss him
as deputy chairman, saying he had long anticipated it.

Adi said before a Cabinet meeting at Bina Graha presidential
office that he had offered to resign as a Golkar top executive in
January, just three months after his admission into the party's
inner circle, after realizing his political activities were
incompatible with his ministerial job.

"I found it difficult to conform my duties as a minister who
deals with ordinary people to those assigned by the party. That's
why I wrote to the Golkar chairman in January, suggesting that I
resign," Adi said.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung announced Adi's dismissal
following a plenary executive meeting on Sunday, citing the
latter's alleged involvement in the People's Sovereignty Party
(PDR). Adi was deemed negligent to his duties as Golkar's
coordinator in Central Java and chief of cooperatives and small
enterprises affairs.

Another Golkar deputy chairman, Slamet Effendy Yusuf, took
over Adi's unfinished party duties.

Adi would not comment on his link to PDR, one of the 48
parties contesting the June 7 polls, but said that the fact that
he contributed nothing to Golkar was behind his offer to resign
from the ruling party.

"Instead of putting Golkar chairman in a difficult position,
I'd rather quit," Adi said.

He admitted that he had a close relationship with PDR
executives, including the party's secretary-general Djumhur
Hidayat.

"As a minister of cooperatives and small enterprises I have to
build good friendships with all parties which struggle for the
lower class. If I have a good relationship with Kwik Kian Gie it
doesn't mean I've joined PDI Perjuangan. Djumhur is a longtime
friend. My friendship with him could not be regarded my joining
PDR," he said.

Adi became a thorn in Golkar's side when he refused to
campaign for the party, which is facing popular opposition due to
its previous support of the fallen New Order regime.

Earlier, the General Elections Commission barred Cabinet
ministers and other high-ranking state officials from campaigning
for parties fighting for House of Representative seats on June 7.
The ruling forced Akbar to give up his post as minister/state
secretary.

Both Golkar and PDR are now facing allegations of using state
funds allocated for the social safety net program for party
interests.

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono, who
is Golkar's other deputy chairman, said Adi had lost his post as
party executive but not his membership.

"The Golkar secretariat today (Monday) sent the letter of
(Adi's) dismissal as member of the executive board," Agung, who
also attended the Cabinet meeting, said.

Agung said some provincial chapters had earlier complained
about Adi's failure to undertake his duties and proposed his
removal.

PDR, a party aiming at empowering common people and their
economic resources, has nominated incumbent President B.J.
Habibie and Adi as its tentative presidential candidates. Both
Habibie and Adi, key figures behind the Association of Indonesian
Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI), are known to be friends.

When asked about PDR's plan to nominate him as the next
president, Adi refused to talk too much. "If it is the people's
mandate, I will accept the nomination," he said.

Support, meanwhile, came in for Adi's presidential bid on
Monday. The chief of PDR's East Kalimantan chapter, Sukamto, said
in the provincial capital of Samarinda that Adi deserved the
nomination because of his interest in a people-oriented economy.

Sukamto said as quoted by Antara that the chapter would only
name its presidential candidate after a plenary meeting, which
would be held after the June elections. He did not deny Adi had a
chance of being named the candidate.

The PDR's de facto nomination of Adi as presidential candidate
was made public through a full-page party advertisement in the
media last week.

Separately, political observer Daniel Sparringga said Adi's
removal was part of Golkar's move to "cleanse" unclear supporters
and to give the party a new image.

"Golkar and PDR are on different tracks, making it difficult
for Akbar to tolerate Adi's involvement in PDR. Many of Golkar
executives have urged Akbar to develop a new vision in order to
restore the public's trust," Daniel of Surabaya's Airlangga
University said.

Daniel said Adi's dismissal was a win-win solution for both
Golkar and PDR. "Golkar can now focus on the campaign for its new
vision, while PDR can garner votes from former Golkar members,"
he said. (gis/prb/amd)