Golkar Party, PKB leaders claim to support Wiranto

Golkar Party, PKB leaders claim to support Wiranto

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Golkar and the National Awakening Party (PKB) denied on Tuesday
suggestions that they were not fully supporting standard bearers
Gen. (ret) Wiranto and cleric Salahuddin Wahid.

They admitted, however, that those who had participated in the
Golkar convention were not actively campaigning for the Wiranto-
Salahuddin ticket, but said that they had contributed money to
the campaign.

"Support does not always mean active campaigning. They have
contributed money and provided facilities," Golkar deputy
chairman Theo L. Sambuaga said.

Wiranto was elected Golkar's presidential candidate at a party
convention participated in by five candidates including chairman
Akbar Tandjung, businessman Aburizal Bakrie, media baron Surya
Pallo and former Army Strategic Reserve (Kostrad) commander Lt.
Gen. Prabowo Subianto.

With the exception of Akbar, none of the other three failed
candidates has so far campaigned for Wiranto, who picked Muslim
cleric Salahuddin Wahid from Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) as his running
mate.

Akbar has consistently defended Wiranto's candidacy and
traveled to the regencies to campaign for him. He is scheduled to
visit 15 more cities to campaign for Wiranto shortly.

Another Golkar deputy chairman, Agung Laksono, acknowledged
that some regional chapters of Golkar were not so enthusiastic in
supporting the Wiranto-Salahuddin campaign, but claimed this was
primarily due to financial problems.

"There is no resistance from the regional chapters. However,
some chapters are less than enthusiastic as they have not
received funds (from the central campaign team)," he told a press
conference jointly organized by Golkar and PKB here on Tuesday.

The PKB, which was established by NU ulemas ahead of the 1999
elections, nominated Salahuddin as Wiranto's running mate.

Five presidential aspirants are now campaigning in the
country's first direct presidential election on July 5. Aside
from Wiranto, other candidates are incumbent Megawati
Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P), Hamzah Haz of the United Development Party (PPP), Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono of the Democratic Party, and Amien Rais of the
National Mandate Party (PAN).

The official election campaign started on June 1 and will end
on July 1.

Some Golkar politicians said earlier that financial problems
had prevented some Golkar regional chapters from campaigning for
Wiranto and Salahuddin.

One politician, who requested anonymity, said that the money
given to local chapters was insufficient.

"The leaders of local Golkar branches received more money
during the party's convention than during the election campaign
to date," he said, referring to allegations of widespread bribery
during the convention.

Meanwhile, Ali Masykur Musa, the deputy chairman of the PKB,
boasted that the PKB-Golkar coalition would bring Wiranto and
Salahuddin to the country's top offices.

The supporters of Salahuddin were not only PKB voters, but
also people who had an emotional affinity with the NU, the
country's largest Muslim organization, he said.

NU claims to have around 40 million members but its leaders
have pledged support for different candidates in the upcoming
election.

But, according to Ali Masykur, the number of NU leaders
supporting Wiranto and Salahuddin was much larger than that
supporting the Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi ticket or other tickets.
Muzadi is the current NU chairman.

Golkar, the political vehicle of former president Soeharto,
garnered 24 million votes in the April 5 general election, while
the PKB secured 12 million votes.