Golkar, PKB part ways after dismissal of Wiranto's case

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The Golkar Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB) put an end on Tuesday to their fragile and less-than-three-month-old coalition, following the elimination of their presidential ticket from the race.

Golkar said it would not involve its losing presidential candidate Wiranto in talks on which pair it would support in the Sept. 20 runoff.

The announcement came just one day after the Constitutional Court dismissed the claim of Wiranto and his running mate Solahuddin Wahid that they lost 5.4 million votes in the July 5 polls.

The ruling upheld the General Elections Commission's (KPU) tally, which saw the duo finish third behind the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla and Megawati Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi tickets. The top two candidates qualify for the runoff.

"We discontinue our support of Pak Wiranto and Solahuddin amicably, just the way we nominated them. It's a farewell (meeting) but not a formal one, between our campaign team and that of Pak Alwi Shihab," Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung said.

PKB leader Alwi attended the meeting on Tuesday, as did Wiranto, Solahuddin, Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono, PKB deputy chairman Mahfud MD and Wiranto's campaign manager Lt. Gen. (ret) Suaidy Marasabessy.

Saying that Golkar would have to honor the Constitutional Court's ruling, as well as the Supreme Court's decision in a related case, Akbar said his party would not offer Wiranto any further political commitment.

"There won't be any offers. We want to finish it, in the right way," Akbar, who lost to Wiranto in the Golkar convention in April, asserted.

Akbar had several times hinted at Golkar's support of the Megawati-Hasyim pairing, even before the Constitutional Court turned down Wiranto's petition, while other party leaders held talks with the Susilo-Kalla team without their leader's knowledge.

Agung said Golkar would not involve Wiranto in coalition talks ahead of the runoff, despite Wiranto's claim that he was responsible for over 26 million votes that he and Solahuddin garnered in the July election.

Golkar will decide which ticket it will support in a leadership meeting this weekend.

Wiranto said he expected to continue talks with both Golkar and PKB regarding the runoff.

"Today's (talk) is our third meeting with Golkar and PKB leaders. We will continue talks ahead of the runoff," he said.

Wiranto said he was considering meeting with either the Susilo-Kalla pairing or the Megawati-Hasyim team.

"I must be responsible for the 26 million people who voted for me and Pak Solah. They are awaiting my next move. We are yet to discuss it formally, but (the party) must consider this factor," the retired four-star Army general said.

To the contrary, Solahuddin said he was yet to decide whether he would continue his political career.

"We'll see, but I will start writing a book next week," said Solahuddin, who was formerly deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

Meanwhile, Alwi said the PKB was open to the possibility of developing a loose cooperation with Golkar in the future, in political or social affairs.

"We will make a decision after the party's national meeting, in the near future," he said.