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Controversial leader could cost Golkar votes in 2019 election: Experts
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Newly elected Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto (center) shakes hands with the defeated Ade Komarudin (right) after the results of voting were announced during the party's national congress in Bali on May 17. Setya won 277 votes against Ade's 173. (JP/Zul Trio Aggono)
D
espite the potential the Golkar Party has because of its stance on the government, the party needs to be cautious in the run up to the 2019 general election after controversial Golkar politician Setya Novanto was elected the party’s chairman, experts have said.
As the infamous Setya took Golkar's chairmanship baton from his predecessor, Aburizal Bakrie, early Tuesday in Bali, the country’s second-largest party will be at a disadvantage in facing the elections, said senior researcher F S Swantoro from Para Syndicate think tank.
"Golkar's outlook for 2019 is bleak as the public recognizes that Setya is no good,” Swantoro told thejakartapost.com, adding that Setya had three years to improve his image to face the election.
The public, however, is unlikely to forget the various cases in which Setya has been implicated, he said. The latest case was Setya's alleged involvement in an attempt to seal a backroom deal with the US-based giant mining PT Freeport Indonesia.
“The public won't buy him," Swantoro said on Tuesday.
Golkar vowed at a Golkar leaders meeting in January to support the Joko "Jokowi" Widodo administration.
Setya reaffirmed the stance on Tuesday.
Golkar's relations with the government have improved, Swantoro said, because the party had a debt of gratitude that did not enable it to be a strong opposition.
The party is expected to help maintain political stability, said Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) senior political analyst J. Kristiadi.
Golkar has 14.75 percent of House of Representatives seats, where it represented by 91 lawmakers. The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which gained the most votes in 2014 election, is represented by 109 lawmakers.
"Golkar must be able to create both stable and effective governance, which delivers the right policies for the people," Kristiadi.
He emphasized that Golkar should not prioritize individual interests or create policies that are detrimental to the people.
"Golkar must return to its roots; that party should be handled by its raison d'être. A party is established because it wants to be a pillar of democracy," Kristiadi said.
Setya started his political career in the lower rungs of the party, which was the late dictator Soeharto’s political vehicle. However, Setya climbed his way to the top until he was appointed Golkar treasurer.
The lawmaker, who sided with Aburizal when his chairmanship was challenged, was appointed House speaker for 2014 to 2019. He came in the spotlight after a recording of a conversation between him, businessman Riza Chalid and former US-based mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia president director Maroef Sjamsoeddin was made public.
In the conversation, Riza and Setya were suspected to have misused Jokowi's names when allegedly trying to make a backroom deal. The scandal rocked the House and its ethics council declared Setya guilty of misconduct, leading to his resignation from the speaker position in 2015. He was then appointed to lead the Golkar faction at the House.
During Golkar’s extraordinary national meeting, businessman Setya was recorded as the richest candidate, with Rp114.77 billion and U$49,150 in assets. (dan)
