Hayono names three as possible Golkar head
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)