We have fought to combat corruption: Akbar Tandjung

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

While highlighting improvements in the economy and national stability as its main platforms, the Golkar Party has vowed not to snub the increasingly louder anticorruption voices during the upcoming election campaign.

"It's a matter of accentuation. In fact, we have fought and will always combat corruption," Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung stated during a meeting with The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Akbar said, however, the party would put the economy at the top of its priority list.

"We have learned that economic improvement is the main concern of people, especially those in rural areas," he said,

Golkar, Akbar said, understood that people were disappointed with the country's economy, which had not recovered since the crisis hit in 1997.

The reform movement, to which people rendered much hope to bring prosperity to Indonesians, has failed to improve the economy in some areas, bringing mounting skepticism to people whether the post-reform governments, including that of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, can lead the nation out of crisis, Akbar said.

The disappointment, according to Akbar, was aggravated by the fact that the nation had been facing unrest and separatism following the reform movement.

"People are now longing for the good ol' days when the Golkar Party was ruling. And, that is true. We were able at that time to offer the people a strong, decisive and able government, that could bring stability and prosperity to people," he said, referring to the three-decade rule of the New Order regime under former president Soeharto.

Akbar said the party would still rely on its traditional voter base, like civil servants, farmers and families of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

However, he asserted that the party had made a break with the past and would join forces with the society in eradicating corruption, collusion and nepotism.

As evidence of that, he said Golkar legislators at the House of Representatives (DPR) had helped speed up the establishment of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"It was not well covered by the media, perhaps," said Akbar, who was flanked by other Golkar executives, including deputy chairman Theo Sambuaga and secretary general Lt. Gen. (ret) Budi Harsono.

The anticorruption drive, which is mainly being spearheaded by the urban educated middle class, will be among the main themes that Golkar would pursue in the campaign period in the upcoming general election, Akbar added.

Akbar bitterly acknowledged that Golkar had been dogged by corruption charges and the stigma of the New Order oppression.

The party chairman and presidential candidate is awaiting for the Supreme Court's verdict of his appeal of the three-year jail term handed to him in a graft case.

Asked about Golkar's vote target in the April election, Akbar said the party was eying an increase to of 30 percent overall from 22.4 percent in 1999.

"It is a realistic target," said Akbar.

The optimism was attributed to the fact that many people were disappointed with the post-reform governments.

He said Golkar would benefit from in-fighting that was plaguing its arch rival, the Megawati-led Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

Megawati's party won 34 percent of the votes in 1999.

"We might well win the general election overall," Akbar concluded.