Wiranto sidelines Akbar in presidential bid
Kurniawan Hari and Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang
The Golkar convention series to select its presidential candidate remains far from complete and nothing is sure except for the fact that chairman Akbar Tandjung has been made to labor.
Of 18 provincial chapters which have reported its regional convention results so far, Akbar failed to finish among the top five in six provinces: Central Java, Yogyakarta, South Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, Southeast Sulawesi and North Maluku, which meant his presidential bid in those provinces was denied anyway.
Akbar is trailing former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto in terms of popular support as long as the regional conventions are concerned. The retired general Wiranto ranked first in seven provinces while Akbar topped the list in four.
Indeed, Akbar's exclusion from the top five in Central Java, one of Golkar's strongholds during the New Order, dealt the party chairman a big blow.
In the absence of Akbar, former chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto emerged the unlikely winner, followed by businessman Aburizal Bakrie, Wiranto, media mogul Surya Paloh and Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla.
The Golkar chairman is waiting to hear the Supreme Court's verdict of his appeal he filed after his conviction in a graft case by lower courts. He was sentenced to three years in jail, but remains free pending the Supreme Court's decision.
Akbar expressed on Tuesday his disappointment with the preliminary result of the convention, which overturned previous prediction that his influence as party chairman would do him a favor.
He said he had been touring regencies in Central Java to campaign.
"The result does not meet my expectations," he said.
Earlier conventions in Golkar branches in 35 regencies and municipalities in Central Java showed that Wiranto finished among the top five in 34 branches, Akbar 30 branches and Prabowo 13.
But at the provincial-level convention on Monday, Wiranto's support fell to 32 while Prabowo's rose to 45.
Responding to the phenomenon, Akbar said the supervisory board of the convention would clarify the data from the Golkar's provincial chapter.
"If there is violation, the supervisory board will take immediate action," Akbar said.
Separately, convention chairman Oetojo Oesman said his team had sent a letter to all of Golkar's chapters in regencies and provinces to be consistent in selecting the presidential candidate.
"They must consistently support candidates because they bear the mandate of the people in regencies," he said.
Convention deputy secretary Rully Chairul Azwar meanwhile said his team had received reports on the irregularities of convention results in Central Java.
He, however, said he would request the organizers of convention in Central Java to provide detailed information of the irregularities before taking any action.
Rully emphasized the national convention committee had issued regulations, which also requires provincial chapters to accommodate and to fight for the aspirations of the branches in regency.
"The regulation is expected to keep the party leaders in regencies and provinces consistent. This will also prevent money politics," Rully added.
Despite the poor result, however, Akbar has secured a place in the national convention to shortlist five presidential candidates later this month.