GOLKAR'S SUPPORT SOUGHT TO STRENGTHEN JOKOWI'S SECOND TERM BID by Fardah

  Jakarta, Jan 22, 2018 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who is eying a second term in office by winning the next presidential election to be held in April 2019, recently conducted a modest but significant reshuffle of his cabinet.

        Jokowi swore in Idrus Marham, the secretary general of Golkar Party, as the social affairs minister to replace Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who had resigned to contest for the post of East Java governor in the upcoming regional head elections to be held in June this year.

        Two senior politicians of Golkar -- Airlangga Hartarto and Idrus Marham -- are now part of the Working Cabinet of the Jokowi administration.

        Hartarto, the current general chairman of Golkar, is the industry minister. Jokowi has hinted that he will retain Hartarto in his cabinet.

        Hartarto was already a minister when he was appointed as general chairman of Golkar on December 14, 2017, to replace Setya Novanto, Jokowi had remarked earlier.

        "We already know that Hartarto is a minister. Only one year is left. If a new person is appointed, he would need six months to learn, and if (he) is not a fast learner, it would take another year," the head of state explained.

        The president noted that Hartarto had complete understanding of the industry sector and had mastered it.

        Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla has expressed happiness over the additional seats for Golkar in the working cabinet.

GOLKAR REMAINS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING JOKOWI by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 22, 2017 (Antara) - In its extraordinary national congress on Dec 20, 2017, the Golkar Party unanimously appointed Airlangga Hartarto, Industry Minister, as its new general chairman to replace Setya Novanto, who has resigned although his term will end only in 2019.       
    The congress has decided that Hartarto will hold the top post until 2019. His term could be extended during a national leadership meeting.

         The extraordinary congress was held because Novanto is a suspect in a corruption case and is being detained in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)'s prison cell.

         In the congress, Golkar also reaffirmed the party's commitment to supporting the current administration of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who is from the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDIP), a stance that has been upheld since the chairmanship of Novanto.

         Jokowi will contest the 2019 presidential election for his second term in office.  
    Golkar Party's re-declaration of support to Jokowi, as a presidential candidate in the 2019 election, is important to demonstrate Golkar's commitment to supporting Jokowi's government and his candidacy in the 2019 presidential election.

         "Despite a change in leadership in the Golkar Party, the commitment to support President Jokowi's government for two terms has not changed," Hartarto emphasized.

         The party's provincial and district or municipality chapters, as well as its 10 mass organizations, support Jokowi, Hartarto stated recently.

         Denying any frictions in the party, Hartarto remarked that it is a regular practice for senior politicians of Golkar to have their "own cadres," but the party stands united in lending support to President Jokowi.  

HUNT ON FOR NEW GOLKAR CHAIRMAN, HOUSE SPEAKER by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 12, 2017 (Antara) - Setya Novanto, senior Golkar politician, has resigned from his position as the Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) for the second time.

         The first time that he had given up his top post in the parliament was over the "Papa asks for share" case on Dec 16, 2015.        
  Vowing to support the Joko Widodo (Jokowi) administration, Novanto won the position as Golkar chairman on May 17, 2016, replacing Aburizal Bakrie, who stepped down to end an internal conflict within Golkar.

          At that time, Golkar had leadership split between Bakrie, who declared to be outside the government and played a check and balance role, and Agung Laksono, who was in favor of the Jokowi government.

         After holding the Golkar chairmanship, Novanto was reinstated as the House Speaker on Nov 30 2016, because he was not proven guilty in the scandal concerning Freeport shares.

         Being currently temporarily detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over a graft case, Novanto recently sent a letter to again resign as the Parliament chairman.

         Sarifuddin Sudding, deputy chairman of the House's Ethics Committee (MKD), told the media about the resignation of Novanto on Dec 11, 2017.

        The leadership of the House of Representatives received two letters from Novanto, respectively, on Dec 4 and 6.

         In another letter, Novanto appointed Syamsuddin as the House Speaker, Sudding noted on Dec 11.

         A least 60 members of the Golkar Party faction in DPR, however, signed a petition rejecting the appointment of Syamsuddin by Novanto.

PLAN TO REINSTATE NOVANTO AS HOUSE SPEAKER TRIGGERS CONTROVERSY by Fardah

Jakarta, Nov 25, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesia's political situation has been very dynamic and interesting following a plan to reinstate Setya Novanto as House Speaker, a position he had given up in December 2015 over the "Papa asks for share" case.   
    Golkar Secretary General Idrus Marham confirmed that the party has sent a letter to the House of Representatives (DPR) concerning its wish to reinstate Novanto, the current chairman of Golkar, as House Speaker.

         Marham explained that Novanto was expected to cool down the political situation in the country, as he is capable of improving the relations between the government and the Parliament, and make the ties more productive.

         With Novanto at the top, the DPR would perform better in its supervisory, legislative and budgeting functions, he said.

         The Golkar Party Executive Board (DPP) in a meeting on Nov 8 decided to reinstate Novanto as House Speaker, because the party believed Novanto was not proven guilty in "Papa Asks for shares" case, where he had been accused of using the president's name to seek shares of gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia last year.

          Executive Chairman of the Golkar Executive Board Nurdin Halid said the decision was taken referring to the ruling of the  Constitutional Court (MK) concerning "Papa asks for share" case and also based on the fact that the Parliament¿s Ethics Council (MKD never sanctioned Novanto.

         The ruling by the MK accepted the judicial review submitted by Novanto that said that a recording could not be viewed as an valid evidence.

GOLKAR PARTY READY TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT, APPOINT NEW LEADER by Fardah

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.

        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.

JUSTICE MINISTER EXPECTED TO BE FAIR IN GOLKAR CASE By Fardah

     Jakarta, Dec 9, 2014 (Antara) - As the Golkar Party's two rival camps seek legitimacy from the government, experts have cautioned Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly not to repeat his past "mistake" involving the United Development Party (PPP).

         The PPP had split into two camps following two separate leadership congresses in October 2014. Two chairmen were elected: Djan Faridz at the Jakarta Congress and Romahurmuziy at the Surabaya Congress.

         While one of the camps took the dispute to the State Administrative Court (PTUN), Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly went ahead and issued a decree recognizing Rohmahurmuziy's PPP.

News Focus - AT 50, GOLKAR DETERMINED TO ACT AS CHECK AND BALANCING FORCE by Fardah

Jakarta, Oct 30, 2014  (Antara) - For the first time in its 50-year-long history, the Golkar Party has decided to remain away from executive power that it always held and instead act as a check and balance force in the House of Representatives (DPR).

         Addressing a gathering to mark the Golkar's Golden Jubilee on Oct. 28, 2014, its chairman, Aburizal Bakrie, said that a healthy democracy demanded a system of checks and balances, and Golkar (Working Group), as a loyal, honest and best friend of the executive, is ready to ensure that the country has a dynamic and accountable parliament.