Agung's swift fall from grace

Agung's swift fall from grace

Kornelius Purba and M.Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

Along the streets from Ngurah Rai International Airport to the
Westin Resort, where the seventh Golkar Party national congress
is being held, dozens of banners display welcome remarks from
House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono to congress
participants.

But will the participants still treat him as a respected
senior member after severely limiting the chance of Agung's new
ally, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, to run in the party's election
for chairman?

Agung has been accused by many participants of betraying the
party's current leader Akbar Tandjung, who helped him secure the
House speakership, first by breaking his promise not to run in
the leadership race and then joining Kalla's camp.

Akbar declined to comment on Agung, saying he had every right
to run for the top spot in Golkar.

However, Agung's sudden decision to back Kalla proved to be a
major misstep; he not only humiliated himself, but he has now
become the target of criticism from the party's rank and file.

"We see him as a traitor who betrayed the person who helped
him to the House speakership. He was not grateful to Akbar," a
representative from West Kalimantan told The Jakarta Post.

Akbar implicitly criticized Agung as paving the way for the
government to meddle in Golkar's affairs, which could jeopardize
the party's independence.

"There are people who happen to be in government who want to
use Golkar as a vehicle to meet their ends," Akbar told reporters
here.

Another Golkar chairman candidate, Marwah Daud Ibrahim, said
Agung had indeed humiliated himself by taking a subordinate
position to Kalla. "The House speaker is equal to the vice
president. If Kalla was elected then he (Agung) would be the
deputy to the Vice President (in Golkar)," she said.

Agung defended his decision to support Kalla. "It is normal in
politics to change direction in such a swift manner. It is my
right."

When told that Kalla might have lost his chance to lead Golkar
because the congress could not forgive his decision to be
nominated as vice president by the Democratic Party, Agung only
responded, "Just wait and see."