Jakarta, Jan 28, 2016 (Antara) - The Golkar Party is entering a new chapter after its Chairman, Aburizal Bakrie, hinted that he plans to step down, and gave a green light for the party to support the current government.
The Golkar Party, under the Chairmanship of Aburizal, is Indonesia's second-largest party leading the majority Red-and-White Coalition (KMP), a rival of the Great Indonesia Coalition supporting the current government.
When it marked 50 years in the country's politics on October 28, 2014, the Golkar Party wanted to create history by deciding to remain outside the executive branch.
When it marked 50 years in the country's politics on October 28, 2014, the Golkar Party wanted to create history by deciding to remain outside the executive branch.
Over the last half a century, Golkar has always been either the top party or has come in second in the general elections, thus either always in command, or ruling as part of a coalition within the executive.
"Now, for the first time, Golkar is outside the government. I think this is a new role for Golkar, which will act as a check and balancing force during the tenure of the Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla administration," Aburizal said during the Golden Jubilee celebration over a year ago.
Aburizal, who was the Golkar Party's Chairman for the 2009 to 2014 term as a result of the Golkar congress in Riau in 2009, was re-elected as General Chairman for the 2014 to 2019 period by acclamation at the Bali congress held on Dec. 3, 2014.
The Bali congress dismissed senior Golkar politician Agung Laksono and 16 other cadres for openly voicing their support for the government of Joko Widodo (Jokowi), and expressing an intention to withdraw from the KMP.
Following the Bali congress, Agung organized a rival congress in Ancol, North Jakarta, on Dec 6 to 8, 2014, where he was elected as the party's Chairman.
In response to the split of Golkar with two rival chairmen, Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasona Laoly, a politician from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), issued a decree recognizing Agung Laksono as the chairman of Golkar.
But, after Aburizal Bakrie won in a verdict issued by the Supreme Court (MA) that ordered the annulling of the minister's decree, Laoly issued another decree revoking the government's recognition of Agung's leadership.
"I received it (the decree of the minister) this morning in the Slipi office of the Golkar Party's Executive Board. It was delivered by a staff member of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry," Golkar Secretary General, Idrus Marham said on December 31, 2015.
The senior Golkar politician was at first optimistic that the decree would solve the problem of the party, which has been split into two camps. He even considered the ministry's decree a New Year's gift and a momentum to make 2016 the year for Golkar's awakening and becoming united further.
"This new situation has made Golkar solid. We used up our energy in 2015 because of the political conflicts, both within the Golkar party, as well as on a national scale," he remarked.
Idrus said he had thought that following the Supreme Court's verdict, the ministerial decree would be automatically recognize the Golkar leadership elected during its national congress in Riau and its organizing the Bali congress in 2014.
But the Agung camp stated that the party's leadership was seeing vacuum because the decree did not mention any recognition of Aburizal's leadership, so another congress must be held to elect a leader.
The best way to reconcile is through a national congress to elect new leaders of the party, Agung said on Jan. 6.
The best way to reconcile is through a national congress to elect new leaders of the party, Agung said on Jan. 6.
Furthermore, a tribunal of the Golkar Party, presided over by Muladi, has decided to form a transitional team to be headed by Jusuf Kalla, currently the country's Vice President and former chairman of Gokar , to hold a congress.
The transitional team comprises Prof B.J. Habibie as patron, Jusuf Kalla as general chairman and member, along with Ginanjar Kartasasmita, Emil Salim, Abdul Latif, Suswono Yudhohusodo, Akbar Tandjung, Aburizal Bakrie, Agung Laksono, Teo L. Sambuaga, and Soemarsono as team members.
Kalla said both the rival factions of the Golkar Party have agreed to reconcile.
"Ical (Aburizal Bakrie) or the General Chairman of Golkar faction, following the Bali Congress' results, has signed the agreement to reconcile. We need a neutral senior figure for the national conference," Kalla said.
From January 23 to 25, 2016, Aburizal held a leadership meeting of the Golkar Party in Jakarta, which was attended by a majority of leaders from the party's regional branches.
In his political speech, the party's General Chairman said in Indonesia political power is still above the supremacy of law sometimes.
"In Indonesia, the political power is sometimes above the law's supremacy. We know that the supremacy of law remains an idea that has not been fully realized," Aburizal said before former President Habibie, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan and Minister Yasona Laoly, who were present at the leadership meeting.
He suggested that the party should organize an extraordinary congress this year among other things to elect a new leader as he plans to step down.
Aburizal further said Golkar should also declare support for the government, although the country's second largest party remains with the Red and White Coalition (KMP led by retired General Prabowo Subiakto, rival of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during the last presidential election campaign.
In supporting the government, the party could contribute its ideas whenever new policies are framed, but preferred to remain out of the cabinet, he stated.
"It's sad, bitter, but we must understand the situation and conditions. We must be smart in reading the situation," Aburizal Bakrie stated.
During his speech in the leadership meeting, BJ Habibie asked the government to stay neutral and not to respond to the issue of any conflict within the political parties.
"I do hold the Golkar Party card, but I must not side with Golkar alone. I must see what is in the nation's best interests," Habibie said.
Habibie, who was also the country's third President, said he believed that the presence of the two ministers at the meeting was at President Widodo's instructions.
The presence of the two ministers reflected that the government wanted to remain neutral in responding to the conflict within the Golkar Party, he stated.
"I have been able to arrive at this conclusion due to the position I have held in the nation's governance. It is impossible for Cabinet members to go on their own accord without the President's instructions," he noted.
The leadership meeting discussed a pattern for the party's support extended to the Jokowi administration.
"Today, (we will) formulate the pattern of support for the Jokowi-JK (administration)," Idrus Marham noted on Jan. 25.
In general, the meeting's participants agreed on offering support to the government, he stated, adding that it was in line with the results of a consolidation meeting held in Bali some time ago.
Following the latest developments in Golkar, President Widodo has expressed hope for an immediate settlement of the internal problems of the party.
"Just now we discussed with the President about what has been decided during the recent Golkar leadership meeting. We do not want to differentiate between the Ancol and the Bali-version Golkar Party. The Golkar Party is the one coming from the last congress in Riau," Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung told the press on Jan. 27.
The government wished that the Golkar Party's problems could be settled soon through a democratic mechanism, Pramono said.
The government would not like to intervene in the party's affairs and would support whatever steps are taken by Golkar to settle its problems, he added.
On Jan. 27, Minister Laoly finally issued a decree granting legal recognition for a period of six months to the Golkar leadership under Aburizal Bakrie, who had been elected during the Riau congress.
Laoly announced that he had decided to revive the decree of the Justice and Human Rights Minister No. M.HH-21.AH.11.01 of 2012 dated December 4, 2012, which legally recognized the Golkar leadership elected at the Riau congress.
The new Decree No. M.HH-21.AH.11.01 of 2016, valid for a period of six months, will provide an opportunity to the Golkar Party to make preparations for another congress or an extraordinary congress, which is democratic, fair, and will lead to reconciliation, the minister pointed out.
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EDITED BY INE/H-YH
(T.F001/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 28-01-2016 19:31:53
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EDITED BY INE/H-YH
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