Hayono names three as possible Golkar head
JAKARTA (JP): Former minister of sports and youth affairs Hayono Isman has named former vice president Try Sutrisno, Yogyakarta's Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X and former minister of defense Edi Sudrajat as potential candidates to replace incumbent Harmoko as Golkar chief at an extraordinary congress next month.
"I see them as the most suitable choices and have the best chance to lead Golkar in the future," said Hayono, who is an official of Kosgoro, one of the founding organizations of the Golkar grouping.
Speaking in Yogyakarta Saturday, he stressed it would be inappropriate if present cabinet members were nominated to lead the dominant faction.
He underlined a need to erase perceptions of any collusion between those working in the government and the grouping.
Facing mounting dissension and calls for chairman Harmoko to step down, Golkar executives last week decided to hold an extraordinary congress in July, two months ahead of the five- yearly congress scheduled for October.
The congress is expected to decide whether to choose new leadership and discuss if it is still necessary to maintain the board of patrons and board of advisors.
Former president Soeharto is Golkar's patron and its leaders include his daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana.
With the current wave of reform sweeping the country and political parties allowed to be formed almost at will, Golkar has seen its solid unity slowly crumbling with traditional allies breaking ranks.
Musyawarah Kekeluargaan Gotong Royong (MKGR) severed its allegiance to Golkar last week and established itself as an independent political party. Some members now campaigned for chairwoman Mien Sugandhi to resign in order to save the organization.
Kosgoro, the business wing of Golkar, hinted that it too was considering a similar move.
Hayono encouraged the regional chapters of Golkar to run the extraordinary congress and simply let the central board organize it.
He argued it would be "unethical" for the central board to arrange the running of the meeting since the aim of the congress was to censure the chairman.
Such an arrangement, Hayono remarked, indicates that the central board was still trying to retain power while reality showed they were unpopular.
Hayono hoped the congress could help revive Golkar's image to the voting public.
"I hope that Golkar's image will improve after the extraordinary congress because it is meant as a correction (of the past leadership)," he said as quoted by Antara.
Nevertheless, he admitted being skeptical on whether it could help swing voters in Golkar's favor in the coming election.
"Even with the extraordinary congress, Golkar will be lucky to get 30 percent of the votes in the next polls," he remarked. (mds)