Ical's presidential candidacy irreversible: Agung

Golkar Party chairman Aburizal "Ical" Bakrie's bid to run for president was final; thus, no other party member would be able to run as Golkar's presidential candidate, party deputy chairman Agung Laksono said on Monday.

"The upcoming Special National Executive Meeting will only make official our decision to name Aburizal as our presidential candidate. The decision itself was made a long time ago, so it appears no change will be possible," Agung, who is also the Coordinating People's Welfare Minister, said at the presidential office.

Head of the party's advisory board, Akbar Tanjung, had previously asked Aburizal to open up the possibility for other party members to be considered Golkar's presidential candidate for the upcoming 2014 election.

Agung, however, played down Akbar's suggestion, saying that Akbar's position in the party was not powerful. "The advisory board is no longer decisive and influential like it was in the past during the Soeharto era," he said.