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“Fair referee" sought in Golkar leadership contest
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Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono (center), accompanied by party secretary general Idrus Marham and senior politician Fadel Muhammad, speaks at a party meeting on Jan. 24 in Jakarta. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
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contender to Golkar’s chairmanship is seeking “neutral” figures to lead the organizing committees that will be in charge of implementing the party’s upcoming national congress aimed at reconciling competing factions and electing a chairman.
The organizing and steering committees should each have a "fair referee" for all chairman candidates, said senior party member Airlangga Hartarto.
"Regional branches are hoping that the organizing and steering committee members will not be involved in any campaign teams of the candidates," he said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
At a recent plenary meeting of the party’s executive board, Nurdin Halid was proposed to chair the steering committee, which sparked protest from a number of chairman candidates who feared he sided with other candidates.
Whoever was elected to lead the committees should have a spirit of reconciliation to end the internal conflict in the country’s second largest political party, Airlangga demanded.
Other candidates beside Airlangga include House of Representatives Speaker Ade Komarudin, the House’s Golkar faction chairman Setya Novanto and Golkar secretary general Idrus Marham.
Golkar has been split into two factions for over a year. One is led by Aburizal Bakrie, who was elected at the Bali congress in November 2014, and the other by Agung Laksono, who was elected at a congress in Ancol, Jakarta, in December 2014.
"This time, we have a strong spirit to foster reconciliation. At a meeting, even Pak Aburizal said there were no more problems between the Riau and Ancol factions," said Airlangga.
The spirit of reconciliation came following a decree by the Law and Human Rights Ministry that extended Aburizal’s leadership based on the Riau congress, which was actually due to expire in 2014. "I believe Pak Ical [Aburizal] has the wisdom to make the right decision and he will still hold the national congress," said Airlangga. (vps/bbn)
