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Golkar's toothless ethics body
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Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie (right) speaks to deputy chairman Agung Laksono (center) and deputy chairman Sharif Cicip Sutardjo during a plenary session of a party board meeting in Jakarta on April 4. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean) (ANTARA FOTO/Rosa Panggabean)
A
n ethics body in charge of ensuring all candidates contesting the Golkar Party's chairmanship uphold fair play, will clear all allegations of underhanded deals and money politics against the contenders.
Head of the ethics committee Fadel Muhammad told reporters that his division had received more than 60 reports alleging all candidates were involved in violating protocol, from breaching regulations to confidentially meeting with eligible voters to endorse their respective candidacy.
Although all candidates reportedly breached the rules, the largest complaints went toward the two strongest contenders: Ade Komarudin and Setya Novanto.
The ethics body also recorded complaints against other hopefuls Airlangga Hartarto, Mahyudin, Priyo Budi Santosa, Aziz Syamsuddin, Syahrul Yasin Limpo and Indra Bambang Utoyo.
"But, we will not disqualify any of the candidates despite such reports," Fadel said on Saturday.
Fadel argued that as a senior party member, he could see that such reports were only smear campaigns against each other.
"I know them well," he emphasized, adding that his division would continue to remind candidates as well as their campaign teams to uphold fair play. (dmr)
