Seven nominees secure ticket to Golkar convention
Seven nominees secure ticket to Golkar convention
Kurniawan Hari and Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta/Surabaya
At least seven of Golkar's 19 presidential aspirants have secured
a ticket to the party's preliminary convention to choose five
candidates after winning the support of at least five provinces
as required by the convention.
Of the 27 provinces that had reported their provincial
convention results, 26 provinces have thrown their weight behind
businessman Aburizal Bakrie, putting him in top position among
the candidates. Trailing behind him are former military chief
Gen. (ret) Wiranto and media baron Surya Paloh with 23 provinces
each.
Party chairman Akbar Tandjung comes fourth with 19 provinces,
while Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla
ranks fifth with 17 provinces.
Former commander of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command
(Kostrad) Lt. Gen.(ret) Prabowo Subianto and Yogyakarta Governor
Sultan Hamengkubuwono X rank sixth and seventh, with 14 and six
provinces respectively.
Theo L. Sambuaga was backed by three provinces, while Moehono,
Marwah Daud Ibrahim and Haryono Suyono were backed by only one
province each.
The other eight candidates -- Anwar Fuady, Kemala Motik Gafur,
Muladi, Nurrulah Marzuki, Rivai Siata, Setiawan Djodi, Tabrani
Rab and Tuti Alawiyah -- have not received support from any
province.
Only 30 of the country's 32 provinces participated in the
convention. Provinces that have not reported their convention
results are Jakarta, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi.
The party will choose five presidential candidates later this
month before choosing its sole candidate in February or April
2004.
The preliminary result, however, does not necessarily reflect
the final outcome of the convention as preferences of provincial
and regental chapters may change in the national convention.
The seven qualified candidates will have to fight for 531
votes up for grab in the national convention -- 18 votes from
Golkar's executive board, 10 votes from Golkar-affiliated
organizations, 90 votes from 30 provincial chapters with each
chapter allocated three votes and 413 votes from 413 regental
chapters.
The five candidates that get the highest votes will be
declared presidential candidates. One of them will be named the
party's presidential candidate in April or May next year.
Convention deputy secretary Rully Chairul Azwar said last
night there were irregularities in the convention results in some
provinces.
"We are not saying there is money politics. Possibly, the
irregularities are because of a misunderstanding about the
convention mechanism," Rully said.
Meanwhile, chairman of Golkar's East Java chapter Ridwan
Hisjam said that the result of the convention would officially be
submitted to the party's executive board during the party's
leadership meeting scheduled for Oct. 17 and Oct. 18.
He said the province's result which put Akbar in first
position had indicated that the party chairman was accepted.
There are some provinces that submitted different versions of
the convention result. The final result will be announced after
all provinces finish the convention.
Preliminary results
---------------------------------------------------------------
No. Candidate Number of supporting provinces
---------------------------------------------------------------
1. Aburizal Bakrie 26
2. Wiranto 23
3. Surya Paloh 23
4. Akbar Tandjung 19
5. Jusuf Kalla 17
6. Prabowo Subianto 14
7. Sultan Hamengkubuwono X 6
8. Theo L. Sambuaga 3
9. Moehono 2
10. Marwah Daud Ibrahim 1
11. Haryono Suyono 1
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Note: Only 27 provincial chapters recorded