Golkar jumps the gun with selection of presidential nominees

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Stealing the nomination start, the Golkar Party, a political machine that backed the former, repressive New Order regime, has nominated five political figures in its race to return to power in 2004, from whom one will be selected as the party's presidential candidate.

Party Chairman Akbar Tandjung revealed to the press on Friday that a team set up to select the Golkar presidential candidate has nominated Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, Minister of Transportation Agum Gumelar, former defense minister Wiranto, and Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as possible candidates.

"Of the five, the selection team jointly led by Slamet Effendy Yusuf and Mahadi Sinambela, will select only one, who will be put forth as the party's candidate in the next presidential race," he said.

Acting upon its political experience gained during the 32-year New Order regime, Golkar tried to get a head start in the presidential campaign by introducing relatively fresh figures, who are expected to repair the party's badly tarnished image.

Kalla, who was expected to raise political support in the country's eastern region, confirmed his presidential candidacy and said he was preparing himself for the race.

Agum and Susilo, two military figures, were expected to be snatched up by other political parties as presidential candidates.

Many political analysts doubt that the sultan would accept his nomination by Golkar, because he represents all tiers of society through his current appointment as governor and his status as king.

Analysts have also said that Golkar would be politically overburdened if it nominated Wiranto, who was closely linked to former president Soeharto and the 1999 East Timor riots that claimed hundreds of lives.

Akbar implicitly conceded that the absence of his name on the list had to do with his corruption conviction as ruled by verdict of the Central Jakarta District Court, which sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, and upheld by the Jakarta High Court. He and his party seemed reluctant to take the risk of nominating him, as there is little chance of the Supreme Court accepting his appeal.

Aside from the capabilities and credibility of the five nominees, Golkar was also putting its own credibility to the test in the first direct presidential election. Political analysts said that Golkar was assessing its popularity by naming the five prospective presidential candidates.

The majority of Indonesians, as well as pro-reform and pro- democracy groups, still feel traumatized by, and antagonistic towards, former president Soeharto's dictatorial regime, which had the full support of Golkar and the military for over three decades.

The presence of Soeharto loyalists in Golkar could be a deterrent for voters to vote for the party and its candidate in the 2004 elections.

However, whoever Golkar's candidate, he is certain to face incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who almost certainly will be put forth by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) as its presidential hopeful.