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span class="caption" style="width: 378px;">Tribunnews.comForty local Golkar Party branch chiefs say that chairman Aburizal “Ical” Bakrie is stunting democratic growth within Golkar.

The officials, some of whom declined to be named for fear of reprisals, were also reportedly disappointed that the party executive board refused to meet with them.

Muntasir, Golkar’s chief in Banda Aceh, said that many local party leaders were disappointed with Aburizal for failing to keep promises made when he was elected chairman in 2009 to build a 32-story headquarters for the party, to contribute Rp 1 trillion (US$110 million) to a trust fund for the party and to improve training for local party leaders.

Muntasir said that Aburizal had appointed confidants to party posts to make Golkar part of his business empire and had manipulated party statutes to stop local branch leaders from holding a convention to nominate a presidential candidate.

“The party and its executive board should refer to party statutes and start listening to what the local party leaders have to say. We should have a convention to select who will be nominated as our presidential and vice-presidential candidates in 2014.”

Muntasir said 25 Golkar members, including some House lawmakers would soon leave the party to join the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) out of frustration with Aburizal.

The chairman of Golkar’s branch on Buru Island in North Maluku, Abdul Kadir Telesi, said he supported Muntasir’s idea that Aburizal had to move quickly to establish communication with local party leaders.

Abdul Kadir said that Aburizal and his supporters should stop attacking other political parties and the media and start programs to woo voters in the run up to the 2014 election.

He also said that Aburizal had not consulted with local party leaders before implementing Golkar programs at the local level.

“Many party programs were launched by Aburizal in 33 provinces without any involvement from most local party leaders,” Abdul
Kadir said.

Some local party leaders, he said, were undecided on supporting Aburizal’s bid for the presidency in 2014.

Responding to the critics, Golkar secretary-general Idrus Marham said that the movement against Aburizal was launched by disgruntled local politicians who had previously failed to win House seats in local elections.

Idrus also denied that several senior Golkar politicians had decided to jump ship.

Recently, Jeffri Giovanni, a Golkar lawmaker from West Sumatra, quit the party and the House and joined Nasdem, while another Golkar legislator, Meutia Hafidz from North Sumatra, was reportedly ready to follow suit.

Idrus said that a Golkar nominating convention was unnecessary, as Aburizal’s candidacy had won support from the public, as indicated by recent opinion polls.

“Ical will run as a candidate after he wins political support from the party, including provincial chapters and most regional branches,” he said.

Political analysts have said that several incidents revolving around Aburizal — including his beef with former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and the Lapindo mudflow — might quickly dash his presidential ambitions, leaving room for senior Golkar politicians, such as Akbar Tandjung, Agung Laksono or Fadel Muhammad to make a bid for the presidency.