V

ice President Jusuf Kalla, who is also a former chairman of the Golkar Party, said the democratic process was costly, but not all political expenses could be directly categorized as '€œmoney politics'€.

Responding to growing allegations of money politics in the upcoming Golkar chairmanship race in April, he conceded that many processes for the race however should be paid for by the candidates.

The party chief from 2004 to 2009 cited as an example that a candidate should pay for trips to regions when seeking to garner support from local executives.

'€œToday [a candidate] gives money [to party members], there'€™s no guarantee that [he] will be elected,'€ he said on Monday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

'€œTransportation costs, hotel costs, are regular. Every large party is doing it.'€

As the party congress in April that is scheduled to elect a new party chairman approaches, candidates have gotten into mudslinging.

House of Representatives Speaker Ade Komarudin, a strong contender in the race, has been accused of accepting gratuities as he traveled to regions to meet local executives.

Ade denied the allegations, arguing that he hadn'€™t even said that he would run.

Other party members have come forward to declare their candidacies, such as the party'€™s House faction leader Setya Novanto and party secretary-general Idrus Marham.

A money politics scandal in a chairmanship race brought down former Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum.