Defeated Golkar avoids clash with Yudhoyono

Andi Hajramurni and Desy Nurhayati ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Makassar, Jakarta   |  Mon, 10/06/2008 10:00 AM  |  National

Despite its defeat in the North Maluku gubernatorial election, the Golkar Party is still attempting to avoid a conflict with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, the Golkar leader, defended on Sunday the government's decision to install Democratic Party candidate Thaib Armaiyn and his running mate Gani Kasuba as the North Maluku governor and deputy governor respectively, to end the provincial power vacuum which has dragged on since January.

"We have to implement whatever decision taken because we cannot let the province run without a leader," Kalla said on the sidelines of an open house to celebrate Idul Fitri at his private residence in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar.

Kalla was commenting on a threat by the National Mandate Party (PAN) to launch a move to impeach Yudhoyono, driven by anger at the government's decision to install Thaib and Gani over Abdul Gafur and running mate Abdurrahim Fabanyo. PAN nominated the losing pair.

Rather than pursuing a political reaction, Kalla said Golkar would opt more for a legal move.

"Just let due legal process prove later whether this decision (to install the governor and deputy governor) is right or wrong," he said.

Kalla said it was Gafur and Fabanyo who held the right to file a lawsuit against the government, but he added Golkar would support the move.

Despite its grumbles, Golkar has kept wide open the possibility of nominating the pair of Yudhoyono and Kalla for the 2009 presidential election.

The government's decision to name Thaib and Gani the North Maluku the election winners overruled the General Elections Commission (KPU) ruling in favor of Gafur and Fabanyo. The poll body's decision can only be challenged by the Supreme Court.

PAN accused the government of violating the Constitution for intervening on a KPU decision.

Golkar deputy chairman Firman Subagyo said that although the party was hurt by the government's decision, it would not support PAN's impeachment plan.

"If PAN wants to file an impeachment motion, just go ahead. Golkar will take its own measures," Firman said on Sunday.

He said the party would discuss its response to the issue in an internal meeting.

Although he agreed that the government had meddled with the KPU's authority, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) considered impeachment to be a step too far.

PDI-P secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said the PAN was overreacting to the matter and considered the impeachment plan untimely as it would take place just before the 2009 general election.

"To impeach the president at this time will only damage the governance system that we have established over the years. And it will eventually hurt the people," said Pramono.

Democratic Party's deputy chairman Anas Urbaningrum said the government's choice to go for Thaib and Gani was based on the Supreme Court's ruling rather than on political considerations.

The Supreme Court ordered a vote recount in three districts for procedural violations.

Anas said the impeachment plan was baseless and inappropriate.

"Impeachment is a very serious mechanism in the governance system. Therefore, it would be mistaken to file an impeachment motion to settle a minor issue," Anas said.

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