Akbar may get more support

Akbar may get more support

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Denpasar

The Golkar Party's convention to select its sole presidential
candidate begins on Monday, with chairman Akbar Tandjung seen to
enjoy an even stronger footing following the resignation of one
of his prominent rivals, popular minister Jusuf Kalla.

The resignation of Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare
Kalla, leaves Akbar with four rivals -- former Indonesian
Military commander Gen. (ret) Wiranto, former Army's Strategic
Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto,
former chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce Aburizal
Bakrie and media baron Surya Paloh.

Sunday saw a flurry of last minute meetings between contenders
and their potential supporters.

Kalla confirmed his resignation from the convention on Sunday,
posing a threat to Golkar's bid for the presidency as the popular
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the Democrat Party has named Kalla
his running mate for the July 5 presidential election.

Akbar denied suggestions of a Golkar strategy with Kalla's
resignation. "That's his political right; it's not intended to
boost my chances," Akbar said after a meeting with Kalla.

As Akbar appeared more confident, the convention committee
announced on Sunday that it would concede to demands to change
the election rules. Regional chapters had demanded a two-round
election instead of the initial ruling of contestants having to
win a majority of the 545 votes.

Under the new rules, if neither candidate won more than 50
percent of the votes the two who won the most votes would contest
another, final round, Oetojo Oesman, who chairs the convention
committee, said. A party source had said the new rules were
expected to give rivals a better chance of defeating Akbar.

On Sunday Akbar dismissed demands aired last week by Wiranto
that he step down as party leader during the convention, saying
it was not stipulated in the rules. Akbar also promised he would
not abuse his power to win votes.

The votes will be counted on Tuesday.

Like other contenders, Akbar proceeded on Sunday to meet with
leaders of Golkar regental branches and provincial chapters,
which command 421 and 96 votes respectively.

Meanwhile, Surya Paloh said that if he were elected
presidential candidate in the convention, he might possibly name
Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X as his running mate.

Businessman Aburizal invited some 320 representatives from the
party's provincial and regental chapters to spend a weekend at a
five-star hotel in Bali's luxury resort area, Nusa Dua.

"It is not an attempt to build a support base for me but to
strengthen our relationship," he said.

Earlier in the day, Gen. (ret) Wiranto held a meeting with
Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, leader of the National Awakening
Party (PKB)'s law-making body in Jakarta.

"We simply exchanged information about the latest political
development ... I told Gus Dur about the Golkar Party convention
while he told me about the situation in the PKB after the recent
legislative election," Wiranto said after the meeting.

PKB once suggested that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono could be an
alternative president in the event that its main candidate, Gus
Dur, failed to pass the mandatory health tests. Such hopes seemed
to have been dashed with Susilo naming Kalla as his running mate.

Meanwhile, Gus Dur said Wiranto should continue to run in the
Golkar convention. "That event would be the only one to determine
whether the party upholds democracy or not," Adi Massardi, Gus
Dur's spokesman, told a media conference.