Golkar may cede to demands and delay party election

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Demands have mounted from Golkar's regional chapters to delay the election of the party's presidential candidate ahead of its leadership meeting here from Oct. 17 through Oct. 19.

Although there was no official statement from the party's board of executives regarding the possible delay, at least two party leaders Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa and Ibrahim Ambong disclosed on Thursday that many regional chapters supported the demand.

Agun claimed that 19 provincial chapters had urged for the postponement of the election of the sole presidential candidate until after the general election on April 5 next year, two months behind the original schedule.

But chairman of the leadership meeting organizing committee Agung Laksono said debate on the possibility of delaying the national convention was not on the initial agenda of the three- day event.

"However, we may discuss and take a decision on a proposal to delay the announcement of the convention results," Agung told a press conference here on Thursday.

A delay to the national convention is expected to give Golkar leaders more time to consolidate the party.

Among the topics to be discussed during the leadership meeting are efforts to improve organizational consolidation as well as the strategy to win the 2004 elections.

Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said the party had planned to recruit more members in anticipation of the elections of legislative members and the president.

"Today, we have seven million members and we plan to double the number, which will roughly equal 10 percent of the number of eligible voters in the elections," Akbar said.

To facilitate the plan, Golkar will deploy 1.5 million "well- trained" cadres in districts and villages throughout the country to woo public support, particularly first-time voters, Akbar said.

Akbar asserted that through the leadership meeting, Golkar would try to win back the hearts and minds of the people.

The reform movement that ousted then president Soeharto and Golkar chief patron in 1998 also ended the party's domination when it lost in the 1999 election to President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

Akbar said the party would also prepare guidelines to replace its representatives in the legislative bodies.

Meanwhile, convention chairman Slamet Effendi Yusuf said seven candidates were declared eligible for the preliminary convention scheduled for Oct. 20 and Oct. 21.

All 30 provincial chapters have reported their convention results.

The seven nominees are businessman Aburizal Bakrie, former military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto, media mogul Surya Paloh, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, former chief of Army's Strategic Reserve (Kostrad) Prabowo Subianto, and Yogyakarta Governor Hamengkubuwono X.

"Each candidate will be given time to deliver their vision and mission during the convention," he said.

Both Akbar and Slamet denied claims that the leadership meeting held before the preliminary convention was designed to force representatives of regional chapters to vote for certain candidates.

Akbar said he believed each regional chapter already had its preference in the convention.

Added Slamet: "The only thing that may change the preference is the vision and mission delivered by the presidential candidates during the convention."