Akbar Tandjung taunts his political opponents

The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

Outgoing Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung looked different from his usual self on Friday when he delivered his final speech as party leader and responded to the remarks made from the 33 provincial chapters' heads on his leadership.

The difference was in his constant jokes and taunting remarks directed at his opponents.

It is not often that the former speaker of the House of Representatives is seen cracking jokes in public as in most of his speeches he always appears solemn and composed.

However, the Batak politician seized the opportunity on Thursday to take a swipe at Golkar members who joined the camp of Vice President Jusuf Kalla in the race to the chairmanship.

Akbar especially targeted House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono and Jakarta City Council Speaker Ade Surapriatna.

"If I wanted to I could have maintained my position as House speaker. But for me one term is enough. That is why I gave the position to the other man (Agung), our own comrade," he said.

The audience applauded and some of them shouted, "Stand up Agung". It seemed Akbar's supporters were eager to applaud him and to ridicule Agung.

Akbar was House speaker from 1999 to 2004 before being replaced by his close friend Agung in October.

Agung, who was seated just behind Akbar, smiled bitterly. Agung initially nominated himself for the chairmanship of Golkar despite previously giving his assurance to Akbar that he would never do so.

He withdrew his nomination, however, on Wednesday and joined Kalla's camp.

About Ade, who also joined Kalla's camp, Akbar explained he had worked hard to ensure Ade was elected speaker of the Jakarta City Council.

Although Golkar had only seven seats in the City Council, far fewer than the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party (Partai Demokrat) which have 17 and 16 seats, respectively, through Akbar's maneuvers, which many suspect involved vote buying, Ade got the seat.

"Now Ade has a respectable position. His residence is on Jl. Diponegoro, a prestigious place. Everywhere he goes he is guarded by police, while I am only guarded by this short man Jono (his private adjutant).

"He invited me to his official residence during Ramadhan, just to show me his achievements. I would not be able to afford to live on Jl. Diponegoro," Akbar said with a broad smile.

Another of Akbar's targets was legislator Budi Priyo Santoso, who was initially dismissed by the party leadership for joining Kalla's success team in the presidential campaign. In the presidential election, Kalla, a senior patron for Golkar, was the running mate of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who was backed by the Democratic Party.

Later, however, Budi quit Kalla's team and made an official apology to Golkar, and he was allowed to rejoin the party. But during the current Golkar congress, Budy supported Kalla.

"Adik (younger brother) Budi still supports other people, but it is OK, it is democracy," he said to the applause of the audience.

After the session, Agung and Budi left the meeting room. They were seen consoling one another.