Habibie won't be included on Golkar board, says Gafur

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar ended its three-day leadership meeting on Monday deciding that one of its most senior members, B.J. Habibie, would no longer have any formal position in the party.

Golkar deputy chairman Abdul Gafur was quoted by Antara as saying after an unscheduled meeting with Habibie at the Merdeka Palace that the President would not be included on Golkar's advisory board. Gen. (ret) Edi Sudradjat, who is a former Armed Forces commander, would be asked to sit on the board instead, Gafur added.

During the New Order regime, then president Soeharto was always automatically given the position of the all-powerful chief of the board of patrons. Following the student-led reform movement that forced Soeharto to resign in May, Golkar abolished the board of patrons and replaced it with a board of advisors, of which Habibie was made chairman.

Edi was a contender for the chairmanship in the extraordinary congress in August, but he lost out to Akbar Tandjung, who is also minister/state secretary. However, Edi insisted he would continue to support Golkar.

Analysts believe that a tacit power struggle for control of Golkar exists between Akbar and Habibie. Despite its tattered image for being Soeharto's vehicle to retain power and the status quo, some analysts consider Golkar will still be a major contender and power base in both the general election and the presidential poll next year.

In his closing address, Akbar disclosed that Golkar was replacing some its members in the People's Consultative Assembly. The chairman of Golkar faction at the Assembly, Ginandjar Kartasasmita (who is also the coordinating minister for economy, finance and industry) was replaced by human rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman.

Four other members who are also cabinet ministers -- Fahmi Idris, Agung Laksono, Theo Sambuaga and Adi Sasono -- were replaced by, among others, Marwah Daud Ibrahim and Freddy Latumahina.

Akbar vowed to bring Golkar to victory in the elections. Claiming a membership of 38 million across the country, plus 12 million of supporters in rural areas and 2.5 million in various places such as the bureaucracy, Akbar said Golkar was committed "to establish a new image and disconnect itself from its old image."

Apology

The last day of the leadership meeting itself was marked by a heated discussion on whether Golkar needed to issue, on Tuesday when it celebrates its 34th birthday, a formal apology for its past political mistakes under Soeharto.

The meeting also discussed whether Golkar needed to restructure its membership, which is currently made up of three elements: the Armed Forces, the bureaucracy and the Functional Group, or Golkar's individual cadres.

Fahmi Idris said on Monday there had to be strong grounds for the organization to apologize to the nation.

"There is nothing to apologize for," Fahmi, also minister of manpower, told reporters in a media conference.

Akbar had on Saturday admitted Golkar's past political mistakes, but clearly blamed Soeharto for a political system that eventually led to a concentration of power in the hands of only one man.

Akbar did not apologize, and some Golkar provincial leaders also refused to do so.

"There's no such practice (of apologizing) because mistakes or wrongdoings have not been committed by one single organization," Fahmi said.

One provincial chapter chairman said admitting mistakes was necessary, but added: "It's wrong to put all the blame on Golkar."

Arbi Sanit, a senior political scientist at the University of Indonesia, said the refusal of Golkar leaders to apologize over the party's wrongdoings and abuses of power in the past reflected its arrogance.

Arbi said Golkar must definitely admit its faults to its voters and prove that it was able to change its old habits.

"Golkar is the third biggest sinner after Soeharto and the Armed Forces (ABRI) during the last 32 years. Golkar had cheated its supporters. Its leaders know about this but refuse to admit their mistakes," Arbi said. (imn/prb/swe)