Golkar claims request for Aburizal’s removal from coalition chair

The removal of Golkar party chairman Aburizal Bakrie from the top post at the joint coalition secretariat was a request came from the party, a Golkar executive said.

Golkar party secretary-general Idrus Marham said on Tuesday that his party had requested that Aburizal be made deputy chairman instead.

“With regard to the deputy chairman [position], we asked for it so that there will be changes and [other coalition members] can experience chairing coalition meetings,” he said as quoted by kompas.com.

The coalition joint secretariat comprises the Democratic Party, the Golkar party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Awakening Party (PKB).

The head of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party faction at the House of Representatives, Jafar Hafsah, had previously announced Aburizal's removal from his chairman post at the joint coalition secretariat.