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View all search resultsBahlil’s grip over Golkar tested
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Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia (left) waves the party flag on Aug. 21, 2024, after being inaugurated as the party chairman during the Golkar national congress in Jakarta. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
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peculation over an extraordinary congress being planned this year to oust Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia has resurfaced in the past week, raising questions about growing internal dissatisfaction with his leadership.
Intensifying claims of an alleged bid to replace the Golkar chairman come amid perceived efforts by President Prabowo Subianto to reshape the balance of power, which some observers view as an attempt to curb the lingering influence of his predecessor Jokowi, whom Bahlil is closely aligned with.
There have also been speculations about Bahlil’s possible removal from the cabinet, as he continues to face public scrutiny over his controversial decisions as the energy and mineral resources minister, with the latest being his handling of a nickel mining scandal in Raja Ampat in June.
Bahlil is also in hot water for his policy banning small retailers from selling 3-kilogram canisters of subsidized cooking gas in February that caused shortages and resulted in long queues of people waiting to buy it. His decision prompted widespread public backlash that eventually forced Prabowo to intervene and order Bahlil to backtrack on the policy.
Several high-ranking Golkar executives have shot down the rumors of a leadership change and thrown their weight behind Bahlil, calling them “baseless” and an effort to sow division within the largest party in Prabowo’s Gerindra Party-led ruling coalition.
“There is no plan to hold an extraordinary congress,” Golkar deputy chair Meutya Hafid, who also serves as communications and digital minister in Prabowo’s cabinet, said in a written statement on Monday.
“Golkar is currently concentrating on pushing forward President Prabowo’s policies and programs. We want his initiatives to reach and benefit the public effectively,” Meutya added.
