Akbar wants Golkar to get House speakership
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Political parties grouped under the Nationhood Coalition reached an agreement on Thursday to back Golkar Party candidate Agung Laksono for the post of speaker of the House of Representatives.
The decision is the latest acid test for the political grouping, after it failed to get its candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri, the leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), elected and now is in disarray.
In a meeting that was attended by Megawati, as well as Golkar leader and outgoing House speaker Akbar Tandjung, United Development Party (PPP) leader Hamzah Haz and leader of the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) Ruyandi Hutasoit, the coalition agreed to support Akbar's hand-picked successor.
Seats for vice speakers will likely go to members of the PPP, PDI-P and the National Awakening Party (PKB).
The coalition members also agreed that the speakership for the People's Consultative Assembly should be allocated for a PDI-P candidate.
"The scheme was clear, but we can't disclose names of candidates," said Reform Star Party (PBR) executive Bursah Zarnubi, who attended the meeting.
PBR came on the scene to join the coalition at the last minute, as did the Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB), which was founded by R. Hartono, a self-proclaimed devotee of former president Soeharto.
The coalition, which was announced on Aug. 19, will control the majority of the 550-seat House. The largest faction, Golkar has 127 seats, with PDI-P at 109, PPP with 58 and PDS with 13.
The coalition will face a challenge from the candidate put forth by the Democratic Party and the Prosperous Justice Party, whose presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is heading for a landslide win.
PDI-P legislator Arifin Panigoro, who has openly opposed the coalition, could emerge as a dark horse as he has been nominated by a number of small factions. Arifin has suggested that the Nationhood Coalition be dissolved after failing to win support from grassroots members.
Akbar has openly demanded that all coalition members back his candidate, as part of their cooperation pact they signed in August. They said at that time the coalition would be a long-term one.
However, the coalition has borne little fruit as Megawati lagged far behind Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the General Elections Commission (KPU) computerized vote count.
Golkar named deputy chairman Agung its candidate for the House speakership post during an executive meeting late on Wednesday. Agung, a former state minister of youth affairs and sports, beat senior party members Mahadi Sinambela and Budi Harsono in a vote.
The executives also decided that Golkar must also grab the speakership at the People's Consultative Assembly and proposed senior member Theo L. Sambuaga, a former minister in Soeharto's last Cabinet.
"Our candidate could win the seat if members of the Nationhood Coalition throw their support behind us," Akbar was quoted by Antara as saying.
He said that Golkar being granted the House speakership was the logical consequence of the party garnering the most votes in the April 5 legislative elections.
Akbar did not run in the legislative election as he was hoping to win the nomination from his party to be its presidential candidate, but he lost to Wiranto.
The election of the House speaker will take place shortly after the legislators are installed on Friday. On Saturday, the Assembly members, who comprise House legislators and Regional Representative Council members, will elect the Assembly speaker.