Kosgoro faction pledges loyalty to ruling Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): Kosgoro, a business wing of Golkar, has pledged continued loyalty to the ruling organization, despite the sharp decline of candidates selected for the 1997 legislature from its ranks.

"We accept it, even though Golkar has only chosen a minimum number of candidates from Kosgoro to sit on the legislature. No matter what, you have to remember that Kosgoro members are Golkar cadres and thus must obey Golkar's decision," chairman Bambang W. Soeharto told journalists yesterday.

He believed the small number of Kosgoro members selected by Golkar for inclusion in its list of legislature candidates was due to a less-than-intensive political dialog between Golkar and Kosgoro.

"Therefore, we need a revitalization of Kosgoro-Golkar relations," he said, pointing to a long and shared history of the two organizations.

Kosgoro is an influential cooperative affiliated with Golkar.

Golkar submitted its list of legislative candidates last month. The list was said to contain only a few Kosgoro members. Bambang did not mention any numbers, but it was said that the new figure pales in comparison with the current number of 65 Kosgoro members seated in the House of Representatives representing Golkar.

In addition, Kosgoro members were reportedly upset because Bambang, as their chairman, was listed in 92nd place in the list of Golkar candidates for its Central Java constituency. If he remains in that position, it is unlikely that he will make it to the House of Representatives.

Members have urged Bambang to withdraw, saying the position was an embarrassment. They reportedly regarded it as a direct insult on the organization.

Bambang admitted that several of his deputies had asked him to withdraw because he was placed in the current allotment by Golkar. However, many more have urged him to stay on, he added.

"Kosgoro won't act like a small kindergarten child who throws a fit if he did not get what he wanted," he said.

"The list of candidates handed (to the National Election Committee) is bound to undergo some changes. Just wait and see," he remarked confidently.

Bambang claimed that he "didn't mind" being listed at number 92 on the candidate list.

"Golkar nominated me because it saw me in a private capacity, not because of Kosgoro. As a good Golkar cadre, I'm ready to be placed anywhere," he said.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Bambang also said Kosgoro would be holding a national leadership meeting here from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12.

The meeting is scheduled to be opened by President Soeharto and will feature lectures from Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M and Golkar chairman Harmoko. (mds)