Golkar leader says party to remain critical

M. Taufiqurrahman and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A Golkar party leader said on Wednesday that there would be no abrupt changes in relations between the House of Representatives (DPR) and the executive following the election of Vice President Jusuf Kalla as the party's new chairman.

Golkar deputy chairman and House speaker Agung Laksono said that the lawmaking institution, of which the Golkar faction makes up the largest political block, would remain critical for all of the government's future policies.

"Although Golkar as the largest political faction in the House is now led by the Vice President, we will not let ourselves be turned into a rubber stamp. We will neither reject nor accept all government policies," Agung told a press briefing after a meeting with representatives of Muslim groups here.

Agung said Golkar risked losing the bulk of its constituents, should it make a blunt move in speedily backing all government decisions.

He said that the House would decide its stance depending on issues at hand. "The first test will be the government's decision to hike the fuel price early next year," Agung said.

Late last week, Kalla clinched Golkar's leadership after beating Akbar Tandjung with overwhelming support from leaders of the party's provincial and regency branches.

Analysts have expressed concerned about Kalla's election, saying that it could turn the House into a rubber stamp, as it was during the New Order era when Golkar threw its weight behind the administration of former president Soeharto.

The analysts have also said that Kalla's rise to Golkar leadership signaled a death-knell for the Nationhood Coalition, a loose political grouping formed to support the reelection bid of the then president Megawati Soekarnoputri, nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Golkar controls 23 percent of the seats in the 550-member House.

Agung also down-played speculation that he would be embarking on a purge against Akbar's loyalists who sat in the House.

"House members will be judged by their performance, not their loyalties to their leaders. I also don't want to repeat past mistakes when one could easily be dismissed for their political stance," Agung said.

Contacted separately, one of Akbar's supporters in the House, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, said that although there weren't any indications yet that Kalla's camp would soon dismiss House members loyal to Akbar, they were ready to be shown the door.

"I leave the matter to the new central board and I hope it will make a wise decision," said Ferry, who was also chairman of House Commission II on home affairs and regional autonomy.

Meanwhile, analyst Denny Januar Ali of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) said that the election of Kalla as Golkar chairman could be both blessing and burden for the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"Kalla's position as Golkar chairman could help bring about stability in the House. However, should there be conflict between Susilo and Kalla it would be hard to resolve as the latter enjoys a wide political support," Denny said.

Susilo's Democratic Party only holds 10 percent of seats in the House.

"I hope that the two can maintain a harmonious relationship for the sake of stability," he said.