Calls mount to replace Habibie 'within Golkar'

JAKARTA (JP): Deputy chairman of the ruling Golkar, Marzuki Darusman, said on Thursday that calls to replace the incumbent President B.J. Habibie as the party's sole presidential candidate had strengthened.

"It is growing, but it is difficult to measure as a percentage... we are not trying to create a polarization, (but) it is clear that there are differences of opinion about Habibie's candidacy," Marzuki said.

He said the party had nominated Habibie in the hope of winning 40 percent of the total vote, but had instead obtained approximately 25 percent of the vote.

"It's clear that Golkar miscalculated... so now the question is whether the miscalculation has anything to do with Habibie's candidacy or not.

"The second question is whether we can still push Habibie's candidacy all the way to the end. This is a normal issue to be discussed in a democratic forum such as Golkar," Marzuki said, referring to the party's meeting planned for Friday.

Marzuki said earlier that Habibie's candidacy was a blow to the party, as the latter was considered to have strong links with former president Soeharto.

"By winning only 25 percent of the total vote, we need at least two or three parties (to join Golkar in a coalition), unless we want to coalesce with PDI Perjuangan (the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle).

"However, PDI Perjuangan already has a presidential candidate, and that is Megawati Soekarnoputri. If we want to coalesce, we have to be clear (on the matter) should the question over Habibie's candidacy come up. We must be ready with an answer."

Marzuki said that "just because the previous leadership meeting (in May) nominated Habibie, that is not an adequate (reason to maintain his candidacy)."

"(The Friday meeting) will be the starting point of an evaluation within Golkar whether to push Habibie as a presidential candidate without compromising Golkar's principles."

Another Golkar leader, however, said the selection of the Golkar presidential candidate was final. Agung Laksono said late on Thursday the party's decision would not be reviewed.

"Golkar is committed to the leadership meeting's decision, so (an evaluation of Habibie's candidacy) will not be discussed at all (during the meeting)," Agung, who is also State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, said at Merdeka Palace.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is scheduled to meet in November to select the next president.

After tough lobbying at a May meeting of the party's chapter heads, Golkar decided to appoint Habibie as its sole candidate for the presidency.

But the choice has left the party struggling to distance itself from a 32-year association as the political vehicle of Soeharto's ironfisted rule.

Marzuki acknowledged last month that Golkar was "still looking around for parties that would support Habibie's candidacy".

"As far as the presidential nomination is concerned, we have not yet found any party willing to support our candidacy," he said.

Despite trailing PDI Perjuangan in the June 7 general election, Golkar officials have said they still hope to control the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly, and the vote for the presidency, through alliances with other parties.

Earlier in the day, the National Commission on Human Rights called on all political leaders to promptly recognize the political party winning a majority of the vote as the poll winner.

The rights commission, however, also said that supporters of the winning party should bear in mind that their leader would not automatically win the presidential seat. (byg)