Akbar lets Golkar members know who's boss

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.