Golkar Targets More Seats in South Sulawesi for 2029 Election, Bahlil Orders Village-Level Consolidation
MAKASSAR — Golkar’s central board chairman Bahlil Lahadalia has set a target of increasing the party’s seat count in South Sulawesi at the 2029 general election. The target comes with instructions to strengthen organisational consolidation down to village level in order to restore South Sulawesi’s position as Golkar’s main vote base in eastern Indonesia.
Bahlil made the remarks while opening the 11th Regional Congress (Musda) of Golkar’s South Sulawesi branch in Makassar on Saturday (18/7/2026). He said the congress was an important moment to evaluate the leadership, draw up work programmes, and elect a branch chairman who will lead consolidation ahead of the 2029 election.
“The congress will produce three major decisions: an evaluation of the leadership, the drafting of work programmes and recommendations, and the election of the Golkar branch chairman,” Bahlil said.
Bahlil said organisational consolidation is the key factor in rebuilding Golkar’s strength in South Sulawesi. He asked the new leadership to promptly complete sub-branch congresses across all regencies and cities, then continue building structures down to the district, ward and village levels.
“I ask that after this congress, sub-branch congresses be held in regencies and cities, followed at the district and village levels. Because that is where our party’s strength lies. When we talk about Golkar in the eastern region, the hub is South Sulawesi,” he said.
He also set a specific target for the new leadership: to increase Golkar’s seat count at every legislative level in the 2029 election.
“One thing I stress: the seats must increase. That is the central board’s order to the branch chairman who will be appointed through this congress. Golkar’s seats must grow, whether in the DPR, the provincial DPRD, or the regency/city DPRDs,” he said.
On the same occasion, Bahlil addressed reports of cadres defecting to other parties following the congress. He said Golkar is an open party and respects each cadre’s political choice.
“Golkar is an inclusive party, not an exclusive one. That is indeed our party’s different character,” he said.
Based on the results of the 2024 general election, Golkar won 14 seats in the South Sulawesi Provincial DPRD, making it the party with the second-largest number of seats. At the national DPR level, Golkar secured four seats from South Sulawesi’s electoral districts.
At the 11th congress, Ilham Arief Sirajuddin was elected by acclamation as chairman of Golkar’s South Sulawesi branch after being the sole candidate to meet the requirements. The appointment was made during a congress session led by the central board’s representative, Mustafa Raja, in Makassar.
Mustafa Raja said Ilham Arief Sirajuddin was also appointed as chairman of the formateur team, tasked with assembling the next South Sulawesi branch leadership.