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)