Akbar lets Golkar members know who's boss
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung threatened to take disciplinary action against party leaders and members who held meetings with the candidates in the upcoming election runoff without the prior consent of the party's central executive board.
Saying that the move threatened party unity, Akbar asserted on Wednesday that "correctional measures" would be taken against the wayward party members.
"Maintaining the party's unity is the most important thing ahead of the runoff," said Akbar, adding that holding meetings with candidates without the knowledge of the party's leaders was not healthy for the organization.
At least 23 out of Golkar's 32 provincial leaders and some central board members held a meeting with vice presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla last Sunday to discuss a possible coalition with the Democratic Party.
"They should have contacted us (the central board) first. We and some members of the regional chapters would obviously have met them. Golkar has yet to decide (whether to support one or other of the presidential tickets)," he said.
As Akbar was talking to the press, Kalla, who abstained from the Golkar convention to run as Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's vice presidential candidate, was holding another meeting with Golkar leaders from Papua, West Irian Jaya, Jambi and South Sulawesi.
Akbar had earlier given the green light to a coalition with Megawati Soekarnoputri, the incumbent president, who is supported by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Meanwhile, Golkar central board members have been intensifying their preparations for party leadership meetings scheduled for Aug. 14 and Aug. 15, when they are expected to formally decide whom they will support in the September runoff.
Golkar deputy secretary-general Bomer Pasaribu said Wednesday that the party would focus on the creation of a strong and effective government as its main consideration in choosing a coalition partner.
"We are still discussing whether we will accept seats in the next Cabinet, or whether we will focus our energies on the legislature," he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Golkar has repeatedly said that a strong and effective government can only be created if the new administration wins the support of the House of Representatives, where Golkar has 127 of the 550 seats.
Separately, National Mandate Party (PAN) secretary-general Hatta Radjasa said that most PAN members preferred to concentrate on the House rather than enter into a coalition with one or other presidential tickets.
"Maybe because they are still upset, most of them have asked PAN to serve as an opposition and stay away from the executive," Hatta said, adding that the party would hold a national meeting on Aug. 20 to decide on its stance.
Both Megawati and Susilo have held meetings with PAN chairman Amien Rais, who was eliminated from the presidential race during the first round.
Meanwhile, National Awakening Party (PKB) deputy chairman Mahfud MD said that his party had yet to decide whether to support one or other of the presidential tickets, remain neutral or go into opposition.
Mahfud said that PKB chief patron Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who was disqualified on the grounds of poor health, would leave it up to the PKB central board to make the decision.
"He will only intervene if the central board's decision is based on personal interests," he said without elaborating.
In Surabaya, Susilo said that he would arrange another meeting with Gus Dur to talk about a possible coalition with the PKB, and planned to meet with the leaders of all PKB regional chapters soon.
He said that his camp wanted to form a coalition with Golkar and the PKB.
"It is important to form a coalition with other parties in order to build up the country. It is impossible to rely on a single force to win the runoff," Susilo said without going into details.