No reshuffle in Golkar, Akbar remarks

No reshuffle in Golkar, Akbar remarks

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung dismissed on
Friday reports that the party's top leaders, including Attorney
General Marzuki Darusman, are going to be replaced in the party's
leadership meeting scheduled to begin here on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference, which was specifically held to
announce the planned three-day meeting, Akbar said Marzuki had
"contributed a lot and demonstrated commitment" to the party.

"We think he has been active in demonstrating his support for
the party, so there is no reason whatsoever to replace him,"
Akbar, who is also the speaker of the House of Representatives,
said responding to a question whether Marzuki, one of the party's
deputy chairmen, would be replaced.

But Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono, who is charged with
overseeing the meeting, seemed to take a different stance when he
told journalists that one of the meeting's agendas would be to
issue a recommendation "to refresh" the party's central board.

Speculation has been rife of rifts between Akbar and Marzuki
as the two have been at odds over the arrest of Central Bank
Governor Syahril Sabirin.

The Attorney General's Office arrested Syahril last month for
his alleged involvement in the politically explosive Bank Bali
scandal.

Akbar once said the reason cited for the detention, that
Syahril might flee and destroy evidence, was "inappropriate".

However, Akbar maintained on Friday that Golkar remained
"solid" and he again dismissed suggestions that he would also
like to get rid of former president B.J. Habibie's supporters
within the party, popularly known as the Iramasuka caucus.

"I don't think that it (Iramasuka) would be a problem because
we all now realize that Golkar will face very tough competition
in the next election so we have no other choice except to
consolidate all of the party's rank and file," Akbar said.

He said the leadership meeting, which would be held at the
Jakarta Convention Center, was aimed at consolidating the party's
political infrastructure in some 4,000 districts and 75,000
villages throughout the country.

More than 600 people, including the party's provincial and
district leaders, would attend the meeting, Akbar said.

He also said part of the party consolidation would be to
reregister party members.

"We once had some 30 million members. But that was then, while
many now have either founded or joined other political parties,"
Akbar said.

Golkar was in second place with 22.4 percent of the vote in
last year's elections, trailing behind the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle, which took 33.7 percent.

Akbar also said the leadership meeting would issue a political
statement on the performance of the government under President
Abdurrahman Wahid.

Abdurrahman will appear before the People's Consultative
Assembly next month to account for his turbulent nine months in
office. (byg)