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Golkar installs Industry Minister Airlangga as new chairman
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Maintaining solidarity: Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto (left), the newly appointed chairman of the Golkar Party, takes a picture with the party's honorary council chairman, former president BJ Habibie (center), and Kosgoro Chairman Agung Laksono, during the opening of the Kosgoro national working meeting in Jakarta on Dec.12. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
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ndonesia's oldest existing political party, Golkar, concluded its extraordinary congress on Wednesday by officially inaugurating Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto as its chairman until 2019.
Airlangga replaced Setya Novanto, a seasoned party stalwart who is currently standing trial as part of the controversial e-ID procurement corruption case.
At the meeting, Golkar mandated Airlangga, the son of a former industry minister during the Suharto administration, to carry out a "revitalization" of the party, including organizational structure changes, based on "the needs of the party."
Speaking to reporters after the congress, Airlangga said as quoted by kompas.com it was "the president's prerogative" whether he would be replaced as industry minister or not.
Golkar, a member of the ruling coalition led by the Indonesian Democratic Party Of Struggle (PDI-P), decided to make changes to its leadership as its chances of securing votes in the upcoming 2019 legislative and presidential election were potentially under threat following Setya's implication in the corruption case. (mos)
