Opposition remains only way out for ailing Golkar

The Golkar Party should part ways with the government and take up the opposition mantle in the parliament if it wants to rebound in time for the 2014 general elections, say two political analysts.

Siti Zuhro, from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), and the University of Indonesia’s Adrinof Chaniago said Saturday that Golkar had no other choice but take up an opposition stance, no matter who was elected its new chairman.

“The party’s future depends heavily on how it balances out the government, regardless of its new leader,” Siti told The Jakarta Post.

“But if Golkar chooses to remain part of the government, as it is now, it’ll have a hard time rising up from bruising defeats in three straight general elections.”

She added the party needed a “wise and professional” person at its helm, one who could focus on unifying the party’s scattered masses and carrying out its programs to benefit the people or at least its conservative supporters.

“The job of chairman should not be treated as a side job,” Siti went on.

“The party needs someone who can focus fully on internal consolidation and program execution
in a buildup to winning the next elections.”

She said calls from within the party to have some senior members join President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Cabinet were misplaced, since such a move would only benefit the President’s Democratic Party.

Golkar will hold its national congress in Pekanbaru from Oct. 5-8 to elect a new chairman to replace Vice President Jusuf Kalla and outline its programs for the next five years.

The two front-runners for the post are chief welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie and media magnate Surya Paloh.

Upstart legislator Yuddy Chrisnandi and convicted murderer Hutomo “Tommy” Mandala Putra, the son of former president Soeharto, are also in the running.

The leading candidates both claim majority support, with Aburizal enjoying the backing of the party’s central elite, and Surya widely popular with its regional branches ­— though some say they could switch their vote to Aburizal should there be sufficient “financial souvenirs” pledged before the congress.

Aburizal, head of the country’s wealthiest family, has promised Rp 1 trillion to develop the party if he becomes chairman.

Though a serving Cabinet minister, he has campaigned for Golkar to take a greater opposition role and get it back in touch with its grassroots constituents.

“However, the party must guard against taking too frontal an opposition approach against the government, as espoused by Surya, since most people aren’t ready for that yet,” Siti said.

Andrinof said the party needed to take up an “elegant” opposition role over the next five years and solidify its role as a counterbalance to the government.

“The party should prepare its political capital to secure more support over the next five years,” he said.

“If it sides with the government, public support for Golkar will only keep decreasing.”

The party won 106 seats at the House this year, down from 129 in 2004, while the Democratic Party dominates with 148.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the third-biggest party at the House, looks set to join the Democratic Party’s coalition after its chief patron, Taufik Kiemas, was named the new People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker.