The field in the race for the Golkar Party chairmanship has become increasingly crowded with more key figures within the party declaring their candidacy
he field in the race for the Golkar Party chairmanship has become increasingly crowded with more key figures within the party declaring their candidacy.
Tangerang regent Zaki Iskandar has become the latest Golkar politician to have expressed his intention to join the race after requesting permission from incumbent chairman Aburizal Bakrie on Thursday night, a senior Golkar politician said.
'Last night, Tangerang regent Zaki Iskandar, who is also chairman of the board for Golkar's Tangerang branch, held a meeting with chairman ARB and stated his intention to run,' said Golkar Party lawmaker Tantowi Yahya, referring to Aburizal by his initials.
Zaki, who recently won the municipal election in Tangerang, Banten, represents a new generation of politicians in Golkar that have brought change, Tantowi said.
Besides Zaki, other Golkar figures to have expressed an interest in joining the race are South Sulawesi governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo, party secretary-general Idrus Marham, party executives Indra Bambang Utoyo and Wati Amir, as well as current lawmaker and daughter of former president Soeharto, Siti Hediati 'Titiek' Haryadi.
Syahrul said that he was ready to join the race.
'If all the party members will it, then I am ready to run [for the chairmanship],' Syahrul said at the State Palace on Friday.
Previously, Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono, who will not run in the contest, said that at least 12 party members were eligible to run including Golkar politicians Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita and Airlangga Hartarto.
Others eligible to join are House of Representatives speaker Ade Komarudin and House Commission III lawmaker Azis Syamsuddin, party executives Mahyudin and Priyo Budi Santoso, as well as former House speaker Setya Novanto, who now heads the party's faction at the legislative body.
Setya is considered a frontrunner in the contest despite having been implicated in an alleged conspiracy to secure PT Freeport Indonesia shares in return for helping the firm secure an operating contract extension.
The Attorney General's Office is currently questioning him as a witness.
Golkar lawmaker Ridwan Bae, who serves as member of the House ethics council that heard Setya's ethics breach tribunal in the conspiracy case, said Setya would be eligible to run in the party chairmanship race in spite of his ongoing legal case.
'Even if he is named a suspect in the case, [Setya] still has the right to participate in the chairmanship race,' Ridwan said.
Senior Golkar lawmaker Roem Kono has also recently declared his bid, claiming to represent Golkar's wing organization, Mutual Assistance Families Association (MKGR), which he currently leads.
Until the party nominates the top three candidates deemed eligible to contest the party's leadership election in the upcoming congress scheduled in March, Golkar Party statutes stipulate that eligible candidates have to go through the pre-candidacy and candidacy selection process.
Earlier on Thursday, Golkar lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo said that in spite of what appears to be a crowded field, there are essentially only three contenders in the race, including House speaker Ade, whose candidacy had recently been disputed.
'From all who have declared interest, only three candidates are serious: [Setya] Novanto, Ade and Aziz [Syamsuddin]. Campaign teams for these three candidates have already begun canvassing future votes ' at least that's what I heard from our friends in each of the regions,' he said.
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