Vice President Jusuf Kalla has denied that the transitional leadership established for the Golkar Party aims to control the future of the countryâs oldest political party
ice President Jusuf Kalla has denied that the transitional leadership established for the Golkar Party aims to control the future of the country's oldest political party.
Kalla, a former party chief, has been appointed as part of a transition team, alongside other senior cadres, to run the party until its next congress. Former president BJ Habibie and other former bureaucrats from Soeharto's New Order Era, including Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Emil Salim, Abdul Latief, Siswono Yudo Husodo, Theo L. Sambuaga and Soemarsono, are also part of the team.
'There is no intention to lead. What's in it for me? I have been a party chairman, Habibie, too, other [transition team members] have led Golkar as well,' he said in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
'We are saddened with the prolonged rift inside the party. [Several men] have treated Golkar as if it is private property. It shouldn't be that way. [The party] should be [run] democratically'.
The party's internal tribunal has issued a ruling to end the protracted leadership dispute between rivals Aburizal Bakrie and Agung Laksono. The ruling instructs the formation of a leadership transition team, with Habibie and Kalla at the helm.
Tribunal chairman Muladi said that the ruling was intended to push through a permanent solution to the infighting and gives the transition team the important task of staging a national congress planned for March this year.
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