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Habibie calls on young generation to take Golkar leadership
For the sake of unity: Former president BJ Habibie delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of a national leadership meeting of the Golkar Party at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Saturday
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span class="inline inline-center">For the sake of unity: Former president BJ Habibie delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of a national leadership meeting of the Golkar Party at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Saturday. In his speech, Habibie said it was time for Golkar to be led by a young leader. (Kompas.com/Dani Prabowo)
Former President BJ Habibie has urged the young generation of Golkar leaders to run for the party chairmanship, saying that the future of the nation lies in the hands of the young.
The senior Golkar member made the statement on his remarks at the party's three-day-national leadership meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, Central Jakarta, which will end on Monday.
'The future of any nation anywhere in this world rests in the hands of its young,' he said as quoted by kompas.com.
Habibie made the comments at the conference's opening ceremony on Saturday evening, after a long absence from any Golkar Party activities.
The third Indonesian president is one of several senior Golkar figures who have formed a transition team to facilitate reconciliation between the party's two competing factions, namely the Aburizal Bakrie and Agung Laksono camps. Habibie has been assigned as the patron of the transition team.
Seemingly rebuking the desire for power of the two senior Golkar members currently competing for the party chairmanship, Habibie firmly said that Golkar must be led by a young leader.
'While you are still alive, please open the door. Give the party chairmanship to those who are aged between 40 to 60 years. You must do it. If not you, who else will? You have to build a culture of regeneration in this party,' said Habibie.
During the conference, Aburizal signaled that he would not run for the party chairmanship again. Separately, the Agung camp also made similar announcements. A number of young Golkar figures have been touted as possible candidates to replace Aburizal.
From the Aburizal camp, which was formed at a national meeting in Bali in November 2014, People's Consultative Assembly deputy speaker, Mahyudin, has said he was ready to run for the Golkar Party chairmanship.
'I've heard that there are several other candidates. There is Pak Idrus [Idrus Marham], Pak Nurdin [Nurdin Halid], Pak Akom [Ade Komarudin] and Pak Aziz [Aziz Syamsuddin],' said Mahyudin.
From the Agung-led faction, which was formed at the Ancol national meeting in December 2014, a number of names of young figures have been reportedly proposed as chairman candidates.
'There is Ade Komarudin, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Agun Gunanjar Sudarsa, Airlangga Hartarto, Mahyudin, Hajriyanto Thohari, Idrus Marham, Priyo Budi Santoso, Zainudin Amali and many more. They are young leaders with the potential to take the leadership of the Golkar Party,' said Ace Hasan Syadzily from the Agung camp.
Habibie's presence in the national conversation about leadership succession in the Golkar Party has strengthened the role he might be able to play in ensuring that the succession proceeds smoothly.
Ahead of the presidential election in 2014, it was Habibie who first made statements about the need for new leadership, saying that it was time for Indonesia to be led by a young leader. It was Habibie who looked favorably on Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, who ran for the President against Prabowo Subianto, who was dubbed a representative of the 'old generation'.
Although Habibie has broken his silence on the Golkar Party internal conflict, questions still remain about which young leader has the capability to unite the party and save it from plunging further into the depths of destruction. (ebf)(+)
