Calls mount to replace Habibie 'within Golkar'

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)