Golkar beats the drum, others can only dance

Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, korpur@yahoo.com

In a recent conversation with The Jakarta Post, a top executive of the Golkar Party described one of its secrets in cohabitating with other political parties despite their leaders' hatred of Golkar. "They are nouveaux riches and inexperienced politicians. You just pander to them accordingly."

In the opinion of the senior politician, most Golkar executives, including its national and even regional legislators are quite established, while the new politicians still worry about their houses. Golkar seniors are more worried about possible inquiries into their past activities or personal possessions.

For Golkar, the most important task is how to stop political attacks from its enemies and to regain its former image as a party that brought stability and safety to society at large.

People may condemn or demand the dissolution of Golkar for its past unforgivable deeds. Its chairman Akbar Tandjung and other Golkar executives can be put at the top of the most-wanted list (of politicians) for their alleged role in adding to the misery of the nation. But the fact remains that it would be a daydream to hope for Golkar's annulment.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has severed its relations with the party. Civil servants have also abandoned their loyalty to Golkar, and many businesspeople, who enjoyed the fruits of corruption, collusion and nepotism under Golkar's rule, have shifted their allegiance to Golkar's rivals. But true to earlier predictions, Golkar is still going strong.

It is difficult to deny that the party, which was controlled by former president Soeharto for about 32 years, plays a more determinant role in national politics. Even its fiercest political foes have to admit that they have a lot to learn from Golkar.

Look at Assembly Speaker Amien Rais. In facing maneuvers that may endanger his position as speaker, Amien, who played a key role in the fall of Soeharto and in ending Golkar's domination, now has to contemplate Golkar as one of the potential saviors of his political career.

Amien's party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), has officially endorsed his candidacy for the presidential race in 2004, but by controlling only 48 seats in the 700-member Assembly and 41 in the 700-member House of Representatives (DPR) Amien cannot act alone. The seats themselves are a combination of those from PAN and from the Justice Party (PK).

In the run-up to next month's Annual Session of the MPR, major political parties are busy lobbying each other to maximize their political gain.

With general elections only two years ahead, their major concern now is not to criticize President Megawati Soekarnoputri's one-year administration, but more to ensure that the amendment of the 1945 Constitution will improve their prospects, and not threaten their very existence. The issue of a direct presidential election and the existence of the MPR as the country's supreme institution are among major eye-catching issues for them.

A Cabinet reshuffle this time is more the concern of the major members of the coalition government, especially Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the party of Vice President Hamzah Haz, the United Development Party (PPP).

The political parties, however, also want to ensure that they will get a larger slice of the national development cake: They sorely need financial resources to fund their election campaigns.

At present it has become apparent that it is not PDI Perjuangan that is playing the leading role in these negotiations, but its former destroyer, Golkar. PDI Perjuangan has reportedly formed an alliance with Golkar to ensure a trouble-free Annual Session. Megawati needs that party's support for her government's stability at least until 2004. PDI Perjuangan formally controls 153 seats in the House and 183 in the Assembly, while Golkar holds 120 and 178 respectively. The stronger position of the Regional Representatives faction in the Assembly, however, could turn the tables at the Assembly.

PDI Perjuangan and Golkar are often described as secular political parties, where nationalists, Muslims and non-Muslims work together to realize their goals. On the other side Muslim- based parties are also busy countering the nationalist alliance. On Monday representatives from PPP, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Justice Party met in Jakarta.

PDI Perjuangan learned a bitter lesson in the 1999 presidential election. The party had to drop many non-Muslim candidates after it won the general election, following complaints from the Muslim side that the former had dominated the lists. During Soeharto's era, many of Megawati's supporters were from minorities, either oppressed by Soeharto or who had simply lost their political privileges.

Megawati refused to make political concessions with other parties, including Golkar, because she believed that as the winner of the general election she was entitled to the presidency. Quoting Islamic teaching, the leaders of Muslim- oriented parties, like Hamzah, rejected a woman as president.

At that time, after failing to maintain its candidate, B.J. Habibie, Golkar quickly portrayed itself as defender of Islam and joined the race to stop Megawati. Muslim cleric Abdurrahman Wahid eventually won the presidential election, and Megawati was elected as vice president after a close race with Hamzah.

In July last year, Golkar also played a key role in the fall of Abddurrahman and the rise of Megawati. With Megawati's backing, however, Hamzah defeated Akbar in the vice presidential election.

Golkar is now described as a secular and nationalist-oriented party. Akbar, who is still on trial for corruption, wishes to express his gratitude to Megawati, who saved him from the possible loss of his position as House speaker. Golkar has also succeeded in persuading PPP and Abdurrahman's PKB not to continue their attacks against itself.

However, for Golkar there is no permanent coalition or partner. Its leaders know how to appease its opponents and how to maneuver them into fulfilling their needs before trapping them.

With its exposure and still-abundant financial resources, Golkar can easily attract other parties simply by reiterating its record in the 1999 election. Its message to rivals and potential allies alike is: "You do whatever you want to as long as you don't disturb us too much. We'll handle the rest".