Minister's decision upsets Golkar boss Akbar Tandjung

Minister's decision upsets Golkar boss Akbar Tandjung

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises
Adi Sasono was in disagreement with Golkar chairman Akbar
Tandjung on Saturday when he reiterated his decision not to
campaign for Golkar in this year's general election.

On the same day, Akbar said as one of Golkar's deputy chairmen
Adi was obliged to campaign for the political group.

Adi, one of Akbar's 13 deputies, hinted that his refusal to
campaign was because he wanted to separate politics from his main
responsibility as a minister in charge of raising people's
welfare.

He denied reports that a plan to establish his own political
party was behind his decision.

"I have made a report (on my refusal to campaign) to the
President and other government officials, such as the
Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry, and they
gave me their support," Adi said after accompanying President
B.J. Habibie and the First Lady to the opening of a three-day,
low-price market at National Monument Park.

"I do not have any plans (to establish a new party)," Adi
added.

Adi has been in the spotlight recently, with critics charging
that he is boosting his power in the Cabinet by favoring certain
indigenous business groups in the guise of affirmative action for
small-scale and medium-scale entrepreneurs.

Separately, Akbar pointed out that Adi should abide by
Golkar's rule that all 138 members of its central executive board
and parliamentary candidates were required to campaign for the
political organization.

According to Antara, Akbar dismissed Adi's reasoning that he
could not simultaneously act as a minister and as a Golkar
executive, saying the two roles were completely different and
would not affect one another.

"He must carry out his duties for Golkar," said Akbar, who is
also minister/state secretary.

Akbar promised to meet with Adi as soon as possible to seek
clarification of his statement. He also denied that Golkar was
facing an internal dispute, saying any appearance of a rift was
manufactured by opponents of the dominant political grouping.

Golkar is facing mounting pressures not to hire government
officials or ministers for campaigning purposes; a practice which
became tradition under the regime of former president Soeharto.

Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a spokeswoman for Habibie, strongly
indicated her opposition to Akbar's stance last week, saying he
should choose between his positions as Golkar's chairman and
Cabinet minister.

According to Dewi, Habibie himself set a good example by
abandoning all his duties in Golkar as soon as he assumed the
presidency in May.

Meanwhile M.M. Billah of the Independent Election Monitoring
Committee, also supported Adi's refusal to campaign.

"It is manipulation and illegal (to have state officials
campaign) because the ministers use state funds to finance their
campaigning activities. These old practices are no longer
tolerable," he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Billah pointed out that ministers or senior government
officials often used state facilities while campaigning for
Golkar.

"This is a kind of unlawful subsidy for the party," Billah
noted.

The committee, first set up to monitor the 1997 elections, has
said it will watch closely any abuses of power during the
campaign period. (prb)