Golkar presidential candidates

Golkar presidential candidates

A hot issue to be discussed at the Golkar Party leadership meeting, scheduled to be opened on April 29, 2003, is the selection of presidential candidates.

Those who are nominated by Golkar will, by all means, become serious rivals for other party candidates, including Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is nominated by her Indonesian Democratic of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

This assumption could prove false if PDI Perjuangan decides to join hands with Golkar and share presidential and vice presidential candidates.

As is publicly known, Golkar Chairman Akbar Tandjung is now in a very serious position with regard to a corruption case, in which he has been convicted. It would therefore be proper for Golkar to seek other candidates who might benefit the party. At the same time, Golkar should find itself a new leader as soon as possible to save itself from further political embarrassment.

Thus, the Golkar leadership meeting will discuss, among other things, the party's convention to seek presidential candidates.

The meeting is also supposed to include preparations for its plenary session scheduled for May 2004.

One of the serious problems to be discussed in the 2004 convention will be agreement on the number of presidential and vice presidential candidates. Golkar is apparently divided into camps or groups, each with its own interests. All the groups welcome the opportunity for Akbar to throw his hat into the race for the presidency.

We are of the opinion if Golkar persists in its efforts to nominate Akbar, it will have made another blunder. Golkar will have lost the strategic opportunity it has to find a credible pair of candidates with public support.

-- Koran Tempo, Jakarta