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)