Golkar to boldly go where no party has gone before

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Analysts may criticize the Golkar Party's convention but the party will create a history when it votes for its presidential candidate here on Tuesday.

Convention organizers said more than 400 domestic and foreign observers had expressed their intention to witness the one-day event, the first ever held by a political party in the country.

"We hope this event will become a model for other parties," party deputy secretary Bomer Pasaribu said on Monday.

Golkar, the political machine of former autocrat president Soeharto, will embark on an unprecedented move -- selecting its standard bearer for the July 5 presidential election through a convention.

Five candidates are fighting to get the party's endorsement for their presidential bid -- party leader Akbar Tandjung; former military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto; media magnate Surya Paloh; businessman Aburizal Bakrie; and former chief of Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla withdrew his candidacy on Sunday -- just 48 hours before the convention kicked off. Another candidate, Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, withdrew his candidacy after the Supreme Court acquitted Akbar from graft charges in February.

Nineteen presidential aspirants had registered for the convention in September last year. However, after a pre- convention culling in the party's regental and provincial chapters, only seven candidates qualified for the next round.

Steering committee chairman Oetojo Oesman said on Sunday the winning candidate for the July 5 direct presidential election would need to win more than half of 545 votes in the convention.

If none of the five candidates won more than 50 percent, a second round run-off between the two top-polling candidates would select the eventual winner, he said.

The 545 votes comprise 421 votes from the regental branches, 96 votes from the provincial chapters, 10 votes from Golkar's mass organizations and 18 votes from the Central Executive Board (DPP).

The DPP announced last Tuesday it would vote for Akbar in the convention, giving the party leader and House Speaker a handy early lead.

However, with 517 of the 545 votes coming from grassroots members, the convention would be a forum for the regions to decide the best candidate, Bomer said.

The importance of the regional vote has spurred candidates into a flurry of meetings with regional leaders, some candidates providing delegates with rooms at the Jakarta Hilton International Hotel.

Bomer said the steering committee had booked rooms in the hotel for delegates as well as the five presidential candidates.

"If each candidate books more rooms with their own budget, I think there is no problem," he said.

Schedules ============================================================== 8.30 - 9.30 : Opening Session, speeches of convention chairman

Oetojo Oesman and party leader Akbar Tandjung

9.45 - 10.15 : Explaining the rules and drawing the speaking

order for candidates to outline their vision and

mission

10.15 - 14.00 : Speeches by candidates

15:00 - 17.30 : Voting

17.30 - 18:00 : Announcement of the elected candidate

20:00 - 21:00 : Closing Session, speech by the elected candidate =============================================================== Source: Convention committee