Golkar expected to make the jump to formal party

Golkar expected to make the jump to formal party

JAKARTA (JP): It looks like a party and has certainly acted
like a party, but Golkar, the dominant political organization,
has always refused to call itself a party for the last 32 years.

This will likely change from today after Golkar ends its
congress and enacts a new charter.

Delegates at the congress were unanimous that Golkar was
indeed a political party and that it should never hesitate to
claim to be one, participants said yesterday.

"All 27 delegations from the regional chapters said they would
be happy if Golkar turned into a political party," Abdul Gafur,
deputy chairman in the just disbanded executive board, told
reporters.

The regional chapters stated their position when presenting
their views on the performance of the outgoing leadership and on
the future of Golkar.

Asked about the new name, Gafur said delegates proposed to
call the organization Partai Golongan Karya, or Partai Golkar for
short.

"It has been decided that the new name will be included in the
new charter," he said.

Golkar, which is an Indonesian abbreviation for functional
group, was established in 1964 as a coalition of various
professional and mass organizations to counter the growing
strength of the Indonesian Communist Party.

When Soeharto came to power in 1966, Golkar became his main
political vehicle and helped to ensure his reelection time and
again until March this year, when he was elected for a seventh
consecutive five year term.

Golkar however has steadfastly refused to call itself a party,
a ploy designed to give it a strong advantage over its two rival
political parties. Golkar for example has access to villages
while the political parties are barred from open branches below
regency towns.

The plan to formally call Golkar a party was signaled by
secretary of Golkar's board of patrons Akbar Tandjung on
Thursday.

"Golkar should be ready to change into a pure political
party," Akbar said.

"Golkar members should not be shy if it becomes Partai Golkar,
Partai Karya Pembangunan or Partai Golkar Indonesia," he added.

President B.J. Habibie, who is also the head of the presidium
of Golkar's board of patrons, told the congress on Thursday that
Golkar must reform itself to survive the tight competition
unleashed by the political reforms that will see new political
parties emerging and contesting general elections.

Gafur also confirmed yesterday that the delegates to the
congress were unanimous on the plan to abolish the boards of
patrons, advisors and counselors.

The three policy-making and supervisory boards, which wield
enormous power, have been accused of taking away the independence
of the executive board.

Gafur said Golkar would establish a new advisory board, one
that would not have any vetoing power. (imn)