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Minister Yasonna extra cautious over Golkar dispute
Recognition matters: The Golkar Partyâs deputy chairman of communications, Leo Nababan (right), displays a document as he and other party officials arrive at the Law and Human Rights Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday
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Recognition matters: The Golkar Partyâs deputy chairman of communications, Leo Nababan (right), displays a document as he and other party officials arrive at the Law and Human Rights Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday. They were seeking the governmentâs support for a party tribunal ruling that recognized the chairmanship of Agung Laksono. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) (right), displays a document as he and other party officials arrive at the Law and Human Rights Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday. They were seeking the governmentâs support for a party tribunal ruling that recognized the chairmanship of Agung Laksono. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
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span class="inline inline-center">Recognition matters: The Golkar Party's deputy chairman of communications, Leo Nababan (right), displays a document as he and other party officials arrive at the Law and Human Rights Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday. They were seeking the government's support for a party tribunal ruling that recognized the chairmanship of Agung Laksono. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
In handling the Golkar Party dispute, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly clearly did not want to repeat his problematic decision in a similar dispute concerning the United Development Party (PPP), although his decision on Golkar could be very beneficial for the government.
The minister, a politician with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said on Wednesday that his office would not make a hasty decision on the internal Golkar Party dispute.
According to him, his office would first examine documents from the party's recent dispute tribunal to settle conflicts between Aburizal Bakrie and Agung Laksono. Both of them claimed to be the legitimate chairman of the party, which was established by former president Soeharto.
Golkar's tribunal made a decision in favor of Agung on Tuesday even though it was apparent that the panel was divided. Aburizal is still petitioning to the Supreme Court over the tribunal's decision.
Agung's camp registered his name with Yasonna's office on Wednesday and presented all necessary documents to prove his legal position.
'There is confusing information. That's why we will examine the tribunal documents, as well as its decision,' Yasonna said after an event at the Presidential Palace.
Unlike his rival, Agung has openly said that under his leadership Golkar will leave the opposition camp, the Red-and-White Coalition, and throw its support behind President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's government.
Agung's camp, which controls Golkar's headquarters in West Jakarta, asked Aburizal's camp to surrender, following the tribunal's decision to declare Agung the legitimate chairman of Golkar.
Agung reportedly has told Aburizal's supporter's at the House of Representatives who hold key positions in House commissions to give up their seats so they can be filled with members of his camp.
Days after his Cabinet appointment in November, Yasonna declared Muhammad Romahurmuziy the legitimate PPP chairman in a dispute against Djan Faridz. Last week, the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN), however, annulled the minister's decree. The first camp has joined Jokowi's Great Indonesia Coalition.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who was a former Golkar chairman, said the decision on Golkar's leadership would be in the hands of Yasonna's office.
'The decision indeed is the one that was read. The way each [camp] interprets it, however, is different. However, let's just leave it to the law and human rights minister to decide,' Kalla said.
Separately, political analyst Gun Gun Heryanto said that the internal conflict between the two factions would not be resolved easily as both factions have strong claims and many supporters and that it was very unlikely that it would be resolved out of court, as attempted last December.
Gun warned that the conflict could have serious repercussions on the local elections coming up this year. If the current rift continues, the party may not be able to elect and agree on its candidates this year.
'In the long term, the rift may also effect Golkar's position in the 2019 election as a split party would not be seen as beneficial to have in a coalition,' Gun said.
