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Aburizal ready to be number two
Golkar Party chairman and presidential hopeful Aburizal Bakrie says he is ready to drop his bid to become president and will aim for vice president to allow the party to join existing coalitions led by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Gerindra Party
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olkar Party chairman and presidential hopeful Aburizal Bakrie says he is ready to drop his bid to become president and will aim for vice president to allow the party to join existing coalitions led by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Gerindra Party.
Speaking to journalists after a closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the party's national leaders meeting (Rapimnas) on Sunday, Aburizal said it was agreed in the meeting for Golkar to annul the mandate taken in its 2012 leaders meeting to officially nominate him as the party's presidential candidate.
'The Rapimnas decided to give party chairman Aburizal Bakrie an opportunity to decide whether he would be either a presidential or vice presidential candidate. The meeting also agreed to give a full mandate to him to make a decision on the formation of a coalition between Golkar and other parties,' said Aburizal when read out the meeting's results.
'Therefore, any decision taken during the Rapimnas in 2012 is no longer valid,' he went on.
Deputy chairman Agung Laksono said party leaders attending the meeting said they would prefer to join existing coalitions led by either the PDI-P or Gerindra instead of creating a new coalition.
'It will be unlikely for us to set up a new coalition, thus Pak ARB [Aburizal] is ready to back down from his presidential candidacy and become a vice presidential candidate. No matter what kind of agreement will be reached with other parties, we hope Pak ARB will still receive a respectful position,' said Agung.
'We are also ready to endorse our best members for ministerial positions should he [Aburizal] lose his bid for a vice presidential position,' he added. (ebf)
